The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter
by Regina'sSass
Summary: Emma Swan never has had much luck when it came to relationships. Her recent humiliating break up with Lily sent the young blonde on a quest for a fresh start. A year later and with thanks to the Sheriff's trusted friend, Ruby, Emma found herself going on a blind-date to meet a blonde with a curious name. [DragonSwan, Rated M for later chapters]
1. The Break Up

**The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter**

 **Warning: F/M implied relationship.**

 **Chapter 1: The Break-Up**

Emma loved days like these. She had just returned to the station in Downtown Boston after a major drugs bust locking three dangerous dealers behind bars. She entered the locker room and stripped out of her heavy duty protective clothing and changed her grubby white tank top. The opening door caught her attention, and the voice of her partner echoed around the room,

"Hey, Swan, I just wanted to say well done for today. You did good, girl!"

Emma rolled her eyes. She did not like getting praise. She knew that she did her job and she did it well but having the attention on her was just not her thing,

"Thanks, Anton. You did great too."

"All part of the job, eh? Anyway, the guys were wondering if you're up for a few drinks to celebrate?"

The blonde appreciated the gesture of being invited, and although she would have loved to go and celebrate with the guys, she had other things already planned,

"Thanks but I'm kinda busy this evening. Perhaps next time?"

Anton's smiled faltered slightly as disappointment overtook his features, but he understood and nodded,

"That's too bad. You're the main reason we got all three of 'em, Swan. I hope you have a nice evening."

"Thanks, you too. Have one for me, yeah?"

Anton nodded before leaving with the group that were hanging around. Emma watched them disappear around the corner to the local bar. She sighed, gathered her belongings, made her way to her trusty beaten up VW beetle, and drove home.

On arrival at her apartment, she called out to see if her girlfriend was home. When she got no response, she smiled and carried out her plan of cooking a romantic meal ready for when she got in. Whilst slaving over the stove Emma thought back to when she met Lilly. She laughed every time she remembered their initial meeting,

" _Hi, what can I get for ya?"_

 _A young brunette literally jumped into Emma's life almost causing the blonde to retreat and run for the hills. She had never come across a woman so beautiful and graceful but so energetic all at the same time, and she really did not know what to make of it,_

" _I'll just have the pancakes with bacon and a hot chocolate, cream and cinnamon, thanks." The brunette raised a suspicious brow at the blonde's request for cinnamon. Emma looked back at her with a wounded but curious gaze, "What? Did I say something wrong? Oh God, I've got something on my face, haven't I? Have I smudged my make up?"_

 _Emma rambled on without so much as taking a breath. The brunette chuckled softly and Emma was sure she had died and gone to heaven in that moment,_

" _No, Miss. You're perfectly fine. I mean...Uhh...Cinnamon?!"_

 _The blonde's eyes widened when she realised that the younger woman was simply curious at her choice of beverage and she was sure that she was going to combust into flames as the rush coloured her cheeks with a crimson hue,_

" _Oh, that. Yeah, I always have cinnamon with my hot chocolate. It's a... comfort thing." Emma explained in a quick rush._

" _I can't say I've ever tried it, nor had a customer order it before. I guess this is a time for new firsts?"_

 _Before the blonde could reply the younger woman smiled and walked off to give the ticket to the chef._

Emma chuckled and shook her head as she remembered the details of Lilly working in a run down diner that she just happened to come across whilst she got lost one day. She had gone in to ask for directions, but when she saw the brunette, she knew that she just had to stay. It was only recently that Emma had admitted that to her girlfriend.

The food was almost ready, so she gathered some plates and cutlery and laid the table with a vase of some fresh red roses as a centre piece. Recently they had both been too busy with work to go out on a date, so the blonde wanted to try and make the home dining experience extra special that night.

The deputy sheriff wandered back into the kitchen to finish carrying out the bottle of wine and seasoning shakers, placing them in the middle of the table, before deciding to get into something more comfortable.

She made her way to the bedroom and sensed that something was not right. When she got closer she could hear whisperings and her heart started to thud. She was used to dealing with criminals wanting to try their luck where it was not welcome, but she would never expect her own apartment to be broken into. The blonde grabbed her gun from the sideboard drawer and loaded it. She steadied her breath and kicked the door, swinging it open to be greeted with a sight she never thought she would ever have to witness.

Items of clothing were thrown all over the floor and as forest green orbs adjusted she made out two figures in the bed. Her adrenaline kicked in as she flicked on the light and realisation set in,

"Lilly?!"

The brunette quickly grabbed the covers and held them around her naked form as she sat up in the bed next to a man,

"Emma! I wasn't expecting you home so soon... It isn't what it looks like, I swear..."

"Oh, it fucking well does to me! I'm sorry, I should have maybe called ahead, let you know that I was on my way home?!," Emma quipped. She tore her attention away from her girlfriend and looked at the male and felt anger, rage and sickness bubble under her surface, "I really didn't think stealing people's partners was you're kinda thing, James! To think that I fucking trusted you!"

Lilly cleared her throat through nervousness and anxiety, not because of her getting found out, but rather because of her getting found out by an armed Emma,

"Em, could you...?"

Emma was furious with the pair but her expression softened when she realised that she was currently holding a loaded gun in their direction. She could feel the temptation to shoot James in the ball sack, but she knew that would not work out for her in the long run,

"Oh, sorry." With a click, the blonde placed the safety lock on the weapon before putting it in the waistband of her jeans. She bent down and picked up James' clothing and began to throw them out of the window and off the fire escape, "I suggest that you get out of my fucking bed and out of my home, right now."

James stared wide-eyed in horror as he watched his clothing disappear out of the window. The apartment was not exactly on the quietest of roads, and the realisation set in that he would have to go out onto the street, stark bollock naked,

"Are you out of your mind, Swan?!" he frantically scurried out of bed and jumped out of the window and down the metal fire escape to begin collecting his scattered items of clothing.

Emma slammed the window shut and locked it to make sure he could not turn around and climb back in,

"I might well be out of my mind." She faced Lilly again and shook her head, "No. I know I'm out of my mind. Out of my mind for believing that what we had was something serious!"

"No, no it wasn't something serious." The blonde snapped her head up to make eye contact with the brunette who had now pulled on a long top and got out of the bed, "I've been wanting to tell you about James for a while now, but the thing is, I just don't love you any more."

"You don't have to fucking tell me that you don't love me. Not when I just caught you with your legs wide open for that son of a bitch! Well, you needn't worry, because I'm out of here."

"You don't have to leave, Emma. I will. You can have the apartment."

Emma growled. She could feel that sickness bubble away under the surface. She scoffed and looked at her,

"Do you really think that I would want to stay here? Live with the memories of us two and then come into this room and relive seeing you with that cumstain? No thanks. I'm leaving. Do what you want with the apartment. It doesn't bother me."

The blonde grabbed her case and packed up the little stuff amount of belongings that she owned and without so much as a second glance behind her, walked straight out of the apartment, and jumped into her yellow bug. She knew that there was only one way to move on with her life. One thing that she was good at when things got difficult and that was to run and never look back.

An hour into her drive she pulled over and emailed her boss to explain that she would not be returning to work due to personal circumstances. She sighed when everything suddenly hit her square in the face. She had been betrayed, lied to and hurt, once again. Emma made a vow to herself in that moment that she would never allow herself to place her absolute, complete trust in anyone again.

Once she was energised with the help of chocolate and Mountain Dew, Emma pulled off the layby and continued driving. She had absolutely no idea where she was going, but anywhere was better than Boston.

Six hours passed and the blonde was starting to feel sleepy and cranky. It was now the middle of the night and she had not got the first idea of where she was. A sign at the side of the road caught her attention that read:

 **Welcome to Storybrooke. Please drive safely.**

"Storybrooke? What sort of a name is that for a town?"

Emma scoffed but continued to drive into the quite town centre. She looked around and shuddered at the old buildings that looked like they would fall down if you so much as leaned on them. Five minutes passed when she finally saw a sign for a B&B. The blonde cut the engine and walked up the stoned path leading up to the doorway. A bell rang out signalling her entry, and she was surprised to see an elderly woman behind the counter with a younger brunette at her side.

"Good evening. Can I help you?"

Emma broke out of her daze as she realised the woman had just spoken to her. She smiled apologetically and nodded,

"Hi. Sorry. It's been a long night. I'm wondering if you have any rooms at all?"

The younger brunette looked excited at the arrival of the blonde as she scanned the book. She reached behind her for a key and smiled,

"We have room six available. How long will you be staying with us, Miss...?"

"Swan. Emma Swan. I'm not entirely sure yet, could I get back to you on that one?"

"Sure!" the brunette beamed. She turned her focus to the elderly woman who just nodded, "I'm Ruby Lucas and this is my Granny. Would you like me to show you to your room?," the blonde shook her head and Ruby just smiled, "Okay, well it's up the first flight of stairs and it's the second door on the left. If you need anything just let us know?"

"Yeah, thanks, I will."

The blonde smiled faintly and made her way up to her room. She found the town to be an intriguing little place, but something did not feel right, but she was too tired to care. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she did not know that this was the last day she would ever experience anything "normal" for a very long time.


	2. One Year On

**The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter**

 **Chapter 2: One Year On**

It was almost the end of a very boring and unproductive shift for the recent newly elected Sheriff of Storybrooke. Emma kept glancing at the clock wishing that time would go faster. Ruby sat at the desk opposite shifting through files trying to regain some order of the chaos when she noticed Emma staring into space,

"Earth to Emma?" The brunette threw a paper ball at the sheriff's head and snorted when it got the attention of the blonde,

"What the hell?"

"What were you just thinking about? You went somewhere."

Emma cursed mentally to herself. She forgot that Ruby was sitting across from her in all honesty but that was more to do with the fact that she was so quiet herself for a change,

"I was just thinking about how fast this last year's gone..."

"And I bet you're wondering how you've managed to stay this long?" the brunette smiled as she perched on the edge of Emma's desk. "I know you struggle with roots and feeling like you belong, but I hope that you do feel a part of the family here?"

The blonde looked up both shocked and surprised at Ruby's questioning. She had considered Storybrooke her home for the best part of five months, and it sure as hell had not been easy moving from a hustle and bustle of a city to a town with magical creatures, but Emma had learned to embrace it. It was all a part of her life now. There was no getting away from that.

"I do. When I arrived here, I wasn't sure what the hell I was doing or what I was going to do. I had no plans and little money... I'm glad I let you and Granny bully me into staying."

The younger of the two women gave the sheriff a toothy grin that quickly turned into a curling smile as she noticed the time,

"Well, us Lucas' sure do know how to lure somebody in. Speaking of which, it's time to go home and get ready!"

Emma placed her confidential files away and locked them. She felt a momentary pang of worry and nerves at the brunette's choice of words,

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no. I'm not going out with you tonight, Rubes! I know what you get like!"

Ruby's smile dropped as she huffed and linked arms with the blonde as they walked out of the station and locked up,

"Aw, c'mon, Em! It'll be fun! I'm sure there is someone in this town that you've been interested in getting to know a little better?" she wriggled her brows suggestively causing her blonde companion to laugh and roll her eyes, "A certain Mayor, perhaps?"

Emma stopped dead in her tracks and her mouth fell open and shut like a goldfish,

"How did...?! No."

"No...?"

"Regina would never step foot in the fucking Rabbit Hole if it was the last place to exist on this planet."

"Aha! So you are interested in her then!"

It was more of a statement than a question, but the blonde jumped to her defenses again,

"Ruby, no! Even if I were interested in Regina, she wouldn't be interested in me. Besides, I'm not in the position to be dating. I've hardly got the best track record when it comes to relationships."

The brunette re-hooked her arm with Emma's as they walked the short distance back to Ruby's. She sighed softly at the memory of when Emma first arrived at Storybrooke and how vacant she was with the world,

"How do you know? Have you even spoken to Regina? We've all had bad relationships, believe me, but you learn from them, right?"

"Right. You learn to not be so trusting with yourself so you don't end up getting treated like shit, humiliated and walked all over." Emma paused and nodded. "And yes, I have spoken to Regina. Only pleasantries, you know. 'Hello,' 'How are you?,' 'Goodbye'..."

Ruby shrieked in excitement, causing the older woman to recoil slightly into herself,

"Don't you see what that means, Em?!"

"Yeah, that she was being nice? She's the mayor for fucks sake. She's got to talk to me whether she wants to or not!"

"Believe me, if Regina Mills doesn't want to talk to you she will make damn well sure that you know how little she thinks of you. The fact that she has said hello and asked how you are just proves that she is interested in you"

"Oh now you're being ridiculous." Emma wanted to move away from this topic of conversation. She was grateful when they arrived at Ruby's flat. She threw herself down onto the bed and groaned at getting the weight off of her feet. "I'm not inviting her to come. I'll go with you, but don't even think about trying to hook me up with anyone, got it?"

Ruby cheered and hugged the blonde and began to root through her closet for something to wear and something to lend the sheriff. Emma opened one eye and squinted as Ruby held up a above the knee length, figure hugging dress in a peach shade,

"This'll look great on you!"

Emma's eyes widened as she looked at the dress. It was not awful, but the fact that it was short made the blonde's anxiety levels rise,

"You have got to be kidding me?! I can't wear that!"

Ruby pouted and held up the dress against Emma's body,

"Why not? You'll look hot!"

Emma whined as she wriggled away from Ruby's form and the dress,

"I don't have the same figure you do, Rubes. You have tall, slim legs. I'm tall but more...muscular. It just won't look right. Besides, I don't do dresses. What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

It was the brunette's turn to contort her face with mock horror at the blonde's words. She knew that Emma looked more than okay in just her jeans and white tank top but they were going out for drinks, not patrolling the Rabbit Hole on shift,

"Emma. You know I love you, right?" She nodded. "I wouldn't be a friend if I let you go out to the bar dressed like that. People will think that we are working and they'll hound us to sort out all their problems."

The more Emma thought about it, the more she could see Ruby's point. She really could not be bothered with dealing with the drunkards when she was not officially working, and she could do with getting out for a few drinks. Green eyes flicked back to the peach dress. She held her breath for a few seconds before exhaling sharply and taking hold of the material, gently removing it from the brunette's grip,

"Okay, okay. I'll wear it. You owe me!"

Ruby exclaimed in victory and happiness as she bounded off into the bathroom to get changed into her own outfit, her voice rang out around the hall,

"Don't worry, first round's on me!"

Emma was left in the bedroom holding the offending piece of fabric almost as if it was a live animal. She raised her brow as she gingerly placed it on the edge of the bed and looked at it for a few good minutes before laughing and rolling her eyes at herself. She quickly shimmied out of her skintight jeans and tank top, discarding them in a heap on the floor and stepped into the dress just as Ruby re-entered the room,

"Hey, can you do me up?" Emma made her way over to where the brunette was standing, with her mouth hanging wide open, "What's wrong with you?"

"I was totally right. You look hot, Sheriff Swan!" Ruby grinned as she flicked blonde hair out of the way and zipped the dress into place.

Emma rolled her eyes and looked at herself in the floor length mirror. She was quite surprised by what she was greeted with. Yes, the dress was rather fitting and clung to her body, but it accented her curves, and the peach contrasted really well with her abnormally pale complexion and blonde tresses,

"I suppose it doesn't look as bad as I feared," Emma quipped as she turned back around and picked up her jeans and top from the floor and placing them on Ruby's bed,

"I would never make you look horrible. So, shoes..." The brunette began to scan her wardrobe for the pair of heels she wore with the dress. When she located them, she produced them to Emma who stared wide eyed, "Yeah, they're high, but they're super comfy."

"High?! Ruby, they're suicidal!" Emma took the shoes from her friend and placed them on the floor. They were the same shade of peach as the dress with diamanté detailing around the peep-toe front. "How the hell do you walk in these things?"

Ruby rolled her eyes as she took hold of Emma's hands and encouraged her to step into them,

"See? They're not that bad. Walk to the door and back." When the slightly older woman completed the task, she smiled triumphantly. "Yep, you pass. After a few drinks, you won't even notice the difficulty in walking in them anyway."

"Yeah...because I'll be carrying them." Emma smirked.

Ruby slipped on her shoes and began to fix her hair. When she was done, she sat Emma down at the vanity table and used curling irons causing her loose curls to become springy and livelier. Twenty minutes later, make up was also applied and they were both finally ready to head to the Rabbit Hole.

When the couple arrived, the bar was already filling up and the music blared out onto the street. Emma started to feel self conscious about the dress, and Ruby noticed the slight shift in her mood,

"Hey, you look gorgeous. Relax. Let's have some fun, yeah?"

Emma tugged the dress down and bit her lip nervously. She had a knack for picking up on when people were lying to her, and no alarm bells went off with Ruby's compliments and reassurances, so she took a deep breath and nodded.

They entered the club and beelined to the bar where Ruby kept her word with getting in the first round, which consisted of shots. The blonde tilted her head back and gagged slightly at the burning sensation of the spirits running down her throat. She really had no idea how Ruby could drink them so quickly,

"Ugggh. Can't we get some beer instead?"

Ruby laughed and signaled for two bottles of beer, which Emma guzzled down contently. She could feel herself starting to relax more, and she was not sure if it was the alcohol or the general atmosphere of the club. Either way, she was finally in the mood to get down to business.

"I love this song!" The brunette grabbed hold of Emma's hand and dragged her into the middle of the dance floor and began to move her body to the beat. "C'mon, Em, show us your moves," she laughed over the pounding bass.

Emma drank the rest of her beer in one mouthful and smirked. She could feel the buzz of the alcohol take over her body as she began to dance close to her friend. They attracted the attention of some locals who wolf whistled and cheered towards the pair, but they took no notice.

After dancing for half an hour non stop Emma started to feel the buzz of the alcohol wear off and she gestured towards the bar before making her way over to get them some more drinks. Ruby stayed dancing along to the current track, and when she returned she saw a guy grinding against her. If it was not for the fact that the brunette was smiling and laughing with the man, Emma was sure she would have turned into Sheriff mode and kicked his ass straight onto the pavement.

"Here she is!" Ruby announced as Emma made her way back over to her with beer in tow. She accepted the bottle and took a long sip to quench her thirst. "Thanks, Em, I really needed that"

"I sure as hell needed it, too. I can't remember the last time I danced to seven tracks straight." Emma grinned and the guy chuckled,

"Well, if you're anything like Ruby here then that's just the warm up. She sure can dance."

Emma looked towards the brunette for some sort of introduction to the male. The younger woman gasped as she realised her mistake,

"Oh, sorry, Emma. This is Billy. He's an old friend of mine. We go way back to school. Billy, this is Emma."

The two new acquaintances shared a smile and shook hands. Billy was attractive, young, and physically fit, and Emma did not miss the way that her friend looked at him,

"Nice to meet you, Billy."

"Likewise, Emma, or should I say, Sheriff?" he joked, earning a shake of the head from Ruby and a smile from the blonde,

"No, Emma will do just fine."

"So how come I have not seen you around before? Are you new in town?"

Ruby rolled her eyes and took another drink from her bottle as the blonde blushed and stumbled around on her words,

"Not exactly. I've been here for a year now. I tend to keep to myself. I like to think that I keep busy and a low profile. I guess it's working..."

Billy looked from the brunette back to Emma and smiled with sincerity,

"Well, Emma, I'm glad that you have decided to come out of your shell tonight."

Emma blushed once again. She really was not used to this kind of attention, or any, for that matter.

"Billy, stop being creepy. It took me ages to convince her to come out and play tonight. Don't give her reason to complain to me later, or in the morning, or ever." Ruby smirked and continued to dance, pulling the blonde closer to her once again,

"I won't stand in the way of you girls. Don't worry! It was nice meeting you, Emma."

"You too."

Billy walked away towards the back of the club where some other guys were playing pool. The blonde looked at Ruby and grinned, raising her eyebrow in an accusing way.

"What?!"

"Oh come off it, Rubes. I've seen the way you look at him."

"I don't look at him!" Emma raised a brow again and smirked as Ruby began to blush. "Okay, so what if I do?"

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Why don't you tell him how you feel about him instead of all of these secret looks and stuff?"

Ruby laughed and raised the bottle to her lips. She glanced over in the general direction of the pool tables and caught sight of Billy who raised his bottle to them,

"I can't tell him. What if he doesn't feel the same way about me? I'd look a right idiot."

"You are an idiot, Ruby," Emma joked before switching her tone to a more serious one as they continued to dance. "Anyone can see that he cares deeply for you."

The brunette let the sheriff's words sink in for a moment. She knew that Emma was right, but she did not want to admit that to herself, or to the blonde,

"I don't know. Things around here just aren't that simple."

"Where are they simple?" Emma added quietly.

The younger woman finished her drink, and before the blonde could say anything else she made her way over to the bar, needing time to think, and the need for another drink peaked. She got two more beers but remained at the bar watching as Emma danced and Billy played pool.

The sheriff was not sure how much time had passed since her friend went to the bar, but when she noticed she still was not back with her drink she headed to the bar to try and find her in the throng of people. Panic began to rise in her when she realised that Ruby was nowhere to be seen. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of long brunette hair and a red dress before sighing with relief. She weaved her way through dancers and gently tapped Ruby on the shoulder,

"Rubes, what the hell?!"

"Shit, Emma! You almost made me pee myself! What's wrong?"

"I've been waiting for you to come back from the bar with the drinks, you've been gone ages." Emma observed that she was almost finished with a game of pool and smiled knowingly. "I told you it would work out."

Ruby handed the blonde her own bottle of beer and rolled her eyes as she played her final move, ultimately winning the game,

"Whatever. Come on. Let's do some more shots."

The two left the boys to their pool game and rejoined the bar. The spirits went down Emma's throat a lot easier than the first round they had, which she was grateful for. The brunette turned sideways to look at her companion with a question on the edge of her tongue,

"What, Ruby?"

"Are you sure you don't want to give it a go with Regina?"

Emma's eyes almost bulged out of her head at the subtly of the brunette's question. She took another shot and remade eye contact,

"There is nothing to "give a go" with Regina. She's the mayor, which technically makes her my boss. That's the only reason she talks to me. We have meetings together, and anyway, I'm really not that interested in her."

Ruby did not fully believe the older woman but she let the subject go, for now. Instead she grinned,

"There must be someone you're interested in?"

"There's no one. We've had this conversation already." Emma sighed with frustration and uncertainty. She was not sure where this was going. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, nothing."

When the blonde was busy ordering the next round, Ruby got out her phone and brought up a new message to an old friend. She knew that she was recently back on the dating scene and had a feeling that her and the blonde would hit it off right away.

Maleficent replied almost instantly to Ruby's messages, confirming that she was indeed still looking for a lady and she wanted to know more about Emma. When Ruby replied telling her that she was sheriff of the town, Mal's interest sparked higher and she was keen to meet her. The brunette grinned as she replied back to meet at The Oceanaire restaurant on the seafront tomorrow evening at 8pm.

Emma turned back around and saw Ruby looking excited whilst looking at her phone and she nudged her before taking the final shots of the evening,

"Anything interesting going on there?"

"Nope, nothing at all."

"Why don't I believe you? What are you up to?"

"I'll explain when we get back to my place."

Soon after finishing their shots and Ruby said her goodbyes to Billy, the two went back to Ruby's flat and Emma instantly kicked off her heels and moaned when her feet came into contact with the coolness of the laminate flooring,

"Jesus Christ that feels good. How the fuck do you wear those?!"

Ruby laughed and slipped her shoes off, moving both pairs out of the way so neither of them would trip over them in the morning,

"Oh, I don't really. They tend to be on my feet when I go out but I return with them in my hands." The brunette chuckled at Emma's eye roll. "You looked like you had fun tonight."

Emma flopped down on the bed. She was absolutely exhausted, but the buzz of the alcohol lingered as she reflected on the evening,

"Yeah, I did. I can't remember the last time I had a good dancing and drinking session. Maybe I have you to thank for kicking my ass into gear."

Ruby took a bow and giggled before sitting on the edge of the bed. She knew she had to tell Emma about her arranged blind date, and now was as good a time as any,

"So you would agree that I'm good at organising a good time?"

The blonde looked at her friend and she got a feeling that something big was coming. She just was not sure what,

"Yeah, I guess...?"

"Good! Then you will not mind me organising a fun time for you tomorrow evening with an old friend of mine. She's called Maleficent and she wants to meet you on a date at The Oceanaire at 8pm."

Emma could feel the colour run out of her cheeks as she replayed the brunette's words over in her mind. When the reality of what Ruby had just said to her had sunk in she began to panic,

"Wait. You did what?!"

"Organised a blind..."

"Yes I heard you but I just wasn't sure if you were being serious or not. Please tell me you're not serious?!" When the brunette kept quiet, Emma jumped off the bed and began to pace manically across the room, "RUBY! No! That is not cool!"

"You will enjoy it once you get there! Maleficent is lovely. She's gorgeous, intelligent, kind, smart... She's all things you would want in a woman."

"You just don't get it do you?! I don't have the best track record when it comes to women! I found my ex in bed with a MAN. What the fuck does that say to you?!"

"That she was a greedy bitch and didn't deserve you anyway. Em, come on. It'll be fun, and if you don't like her after you've met her at least you've been and had fun, right?"

Emma really could not believe what she was hearing. She knew that the younger woman was up to something when she went quiet and was being secretive with her phone whilst at the bar. She really was not expecting a stunt like this though,

"I hate situations like these, Ruby. You know they make me nervous," the blonde sighed and stopped pacing. She got control of her breathing again and asked more calmly, "Where did you say she wants to meet?"

Ruby bit her lip. She knew that it was a risk in setting up the date, but she just wanted the blonde to be happy, and she really believed that she could find that happiness in Maleficent,

"The Oceanaire. It's on the seafront."

"Are you fucking kidding me? That's the most expensive restaurant in town! I can't go there!"

"Of course you can, Em. She's taking you on the date if it's the money you're worried about..."

"It is! Well, partly the money. I have nothing to wear, and I can't expect her to take me somewhere like that. What if I go and I can't stand the sight of her or her personality? Then what?"

The younger woman shook her head gently. She knew Maleficent inside and out, and she just knew that personality would not be a problem and she was a rather attractive woman,

"Em, do you really think I would set you up on a date with someone if I didn't think you'd get along? Mal is great. Trust me."

Emma began to calm back down. Yes, she was still mad at Ruby for going behind her back, but she guessed it could be worse. She was starting to feel lonely, and maybe this was the kick-start she needed to get back out there after Lilly. After a few long moments of silence, Emma sighed,

"Okay. There is still the small problem of me not having anything to wear."

Ruby grinned from ear to ear as she could feel her excitement building up,

"Does that mean that you're going to go?" Emma nodded and Ruby squealed and hugged the blonde tightly. "You're not going to regret it, I swear!"

"You're ignoring the problem, Rubes. I have nothing to wear!"

"Oh, sure you do! That hot pink dress you wore on our first night out shortly after you got here."

Emma weighed up the options, and considering there were not that many, she sighed and nodded, giving in and going against her better judgement to not go,

"Okay. Hot pink dress it is. You said 8pm right?" Ruby nodded. "Okay, well, you'll have to come by my place to help me get ready."

"Do you doubt that I will be there?"

Emma shook her head. She knew that Ruby would always have her back, even if she went behind it every now and then. She was curious about meeting Maleficent. She was somebody that she had not yet met around town and her curiosity only grew,

"Well, Swan, you'll be meeting her tomorrow, so I guess the air of mystery will be solved then."


	3. The Date

**The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter**

 **Chapter 3: The Date**

The second hand on the clock seemed to have stopped ticking. Emma sighed in frustration as the morning crawled along only adding fuel to her anxiety and uncertainty of her date with Maleficent that evening. Ruby sat across from the blonde and shook her head at her obsessive clock watching,

"Y'know, time isn't going to pass if you carry on staring at it."

Emma shot the brunette a glare as she groaned out, "I fucking well know that, Rubes. This wasn't a good idea. I mean, The Oceanaire of all fucking places? Do you know how expensive that place is?!"

Ruby rolled her eyes and perched on the edge of her friend's desk. She helped herself to some biscuits out of the tin and munched on them happily,

"Of course. This is a date, Em. Maleficent wants to meet you there. Don't worry about paying for dinner. She has it covered. That's the whole point."

The sheriff groaned out once again and face planted her desk. She really was not feeling up to going, and in a fit of desperation she tried to think of a valid excuse to cancel,

"Can't we just say that I'm ill after working hard today? I just...I don't know, Rubes. I'm not exactly the most socially comfortable, and I have a shit track record of relationships and dating..."

"Absolutely not! Emma Swan, you are going to meet her. She's going to love your personality and all of your traits and flaws. Mal is a great woman." Ruby gave the blonde a reassuring smile, "Besides, she's really looking forward to meeting you."

That caught Emma's attention as she pulled her face up from her desk and made eye contact with the brunette. She raised her brow out of self doubt and turned on her internal lie detector,

"Really?" When the younger woman nodded and gave her a toothy grin, she looked skeptical but her no alarm bells went off. With a sigh and eye roll she made a decision. "Fine, Fine. I'll go but I'm going to hold you personally responsible if it goes to shit, okay?"

Ruby squealed, causing a mass of crumbles to fly all over the desk as she launched herself at the unsuspecting blonde,

"I'm so excited for you! You're not going to regret it, I swear."

The second the clock read 5pm, Emma jumped up from her seat and handed Ruby the keys to lock up when she was done,

"Are you sure you don't mind locking up?"

"I'm used to locking up Granny's. This isn't much different. Now, go home and get yourself ready."

Emma held her hands up in defence at Ruby shooing her out of the building. As she got into her bug and made the short drive home she could not help but think that actually, the date could be what she needs the most.

The first thing that the blonde did was jump in the shower. She had been known to take longer than most people, especially if she was going out and she wanted to be ready in plenty of time.

Once she was done in the shower, Emma dried herself off before looking at the dress she and Ruby had agreed on. Green eyes wandered over the hot pink material, obsessively checking for any food or wine stains from the last time that she wore it. Convinced there were none, she slipped into it and zipped the back up as far as she could. She knew Ruby would be coming over before she left for the restaurant anyway.

The blonde sat down at her cramped and disorganised vanity table. She plugged in her curling irons and brushed through her knotted damp hair, giving it a thorough blow dry before working on recreating her loose curls. She could have saved herself the time and effort by leaving her hair to dry naturally, but she wanted the curls to have some order, and she did not want to risk having damp hair when she set off.

Emma checked her hair, turning her head this way and that. The sheriff did not understand why she was that bothered about making sure that no hair was out of place. She did not know Maleficent, let alone what she _looked_ like. Emma laughed as she thought out loud to herself,

"She could look like a dragon for all you know, Swan. Besides, this is as good as it's gonna get..."

A wolf whistle from behind her made her jump half a mile in her seat. The blonde cursed under her breath at the intrusion by the brunette,

"Seriously, Rubes? Couldn't you have at least knocked or something? I could have been naked!"

Ruby wriggled her eyebrows suggestively as she stepped over the threshold and into her bedroom, taking a seat next to her on the stool,

"Exactly," the brunette laughed as Emma groaned in annoyance. She watched as she started to apply light touches of make up and smiled, "You really do look gorgeous. Mal's a very lucky lady if you ask me!"

Emma rolled her eyes, trying not to smudge the newly applied make up in doing so. She still hated compliments, but she took it with grace,

"Thanks, Ruby. You really don't think it's too much? Are you sure about this dress...?" Emma was not convinced that it was the right thing to wear, although, she did look rather striking in it, "I'm just not sure if it's too...short?"

Ruby cast an eye over her slightly older friend, getting her to turn this way and that before coming to her judgement,

"It's not too short, it's just right, actually. It's not saying, 'I'm a whore,' but it's not saying, 'I'm a virgin,' either."

"RUBY!" Emma chastised her friend as she made the final touches to her make up. "Could you zip me up the rest of the way?"

The brunette completed the task and made sure the tags were tucked away beneath the fabric. Emma stood up from the stool and smoothed out her dress before stepping into her heels. After one final glance in the mirror the sheriff decided that she was ready,

"So...what do you think? Honestly? Is it too much?"

Ruby shook her head rapidly as she took in the beauty of the blonde before her. Yes, she regarded Emma as a friend, but the lesbian in her sure as hell could see Emma as a potential target for her bedroom antics,

"You are going to knock her out cold when she sees you, Em! Honestly, you look beautiful!"

Emma's usually pale complexion tinted a shade of light pink as a blush rose in her cheeks. She hid her face behind her hair as she picked up her clutch bag, placing her keys, phone and purse in it,

"Thanks. So...The Oceanaire..."

"Yup."

"I'm so nervous, Rubes. What if she doesn't like me? I'm not the most interesting person in the world and I have a habit of putting my foot in it..."

Ruby laughed at Emma's last statement before wrapping a arm around her waist and pulling her out of the room and into the direction of her front door,

"Em, she's going to love you, trust me. As for you putting your foot in it? Don't worry, she knows that you're socially awkward at times and physically clumsy."

The blonde raised her brow as she reached the front door and turned to face her friend,

"Ruby...what have you said to her?! I don't want her to think I'm a complete walking disaster!"

The younger of the two women held up her hands in defence. She loved getting the blonde worked up,

"I've just told her exactly that. Nothing more, nothing less. Honest!"

The inner lie detector did not give Emma any cause for alarm. She nodded, satisfied with the brunette's answer.

"Okay. As ever, help yourself to whatever you like. If you go out, don't forget to lock the front door. The spare key is under the loose brick outside. Don't forget to put the brick back otherwise every fucker will know where it is, got it?"

Ruby nodded as she practically ushered the sheriff out of her own apartment. Emma turned to face the brunette one last time, giving her a worried smile before making her way to The Oceanaire for her much anticipated date with Maleficent.

On arrival at the restaurant Emma looked around at how fancy the décor was and started to feel anxiety rise in the form of a lump in her throat. She did not belong in a place like this. Just as the blonde was about to turn around and leave, she paused and thought back to how shitty she had been treated in the past and decided that maybe it was not such a bad idea meeting the mysterious Maleficent, even if it was to find out more about the woman's name.

The sheriff made her way over to the podium and wiped her increasing sweaty hands on her dress,

"Hello, and welcome to The Oceanaire. How many diners do you have this evening?"

Emma swallowed the lump in her throat and began to breathe slower, her nervousness obviously catching up to her,

"I'm here to meet a woman called Maleficent. Could you tell me if she has arrived yet?"

The young waiter nodded without the need to check the reservations book,

"She has arrived. You must be Miss Swan?" Emma nodded. "Fabulous. Please, follow me."

The blonde remained silent and followed him to a small, secluded table where a very attractive, slightly older blonde was sitting enjoying a glass of red. Emma was startled by the beauty of piercing blue eyes that met hers. When they arrived at the table, a smile ghosted across perfectly painted red lips,

"Hello, you must be Miss-"

"Emma," the blonde interrupted the rest of her sentence. She despised being called Miss Swan. She often felt like she was in trouble or being mocked at the title. "And you're Maleficent?"

"Pleasure to meet you, Emma." The older blonde smiled at how nervous the blonde was. "Indeed, but please, call me Mal."

The waiter pulled out Emma's chair and promptly left the two ladies alone to talk and scan the menu at their leisure,

"This place is amazing. I've got to be honest, I almost walked out as soon as I stepped in," Emma laughed anxiously as she scanned the area that they were sat in,

"I tend to come here when I am in town. It is a personal favourite of mine. I do love seafood," Mal reached her hand out and placed it on top of Emma's giving it a light, reassuring squeeze, "If you don't feel comfortable here I am sure there are other places nearby?"

Emma appreciated the gesture and thought but quickly shook her head. She was sure her apprehension was more to do with meeting Maleficent for the first time, on a blind date, rather than where they were meeting. Not only that, but if they were to leave and go some place else then she was sure they would both be over dressed,

"There's no need, but thanks..."

Mal smiled and poured Emma some wine into a glass, which the younger blonde took gratefully,

"I have got to say, Ruby was not kidding when she said you are a beautiful young woman." She paused, and she could feel her face twisting with how awkward and unlike her that sounded, much to her companion's amusement. "You are beautiful. That much is very clear. That just sounded like Ruby talking, not me. I apologise."

The sheriff grinned at Mal's rambles, she could relate to those so well. She felt herself slowly relax as it soon became quite clear that she was not the only one who was anxious in the current situation,

"Ruby has a way with words. I'll give her that much," Emma sunk her bottom lip between her teeth, "How did you two meet?"

"I used to work at the University here. I was only there for a year, and it was obviously a long time ago now."

"It can't have been that long ago. I mean, you're only young, right?" Emma cursed to herself internally, "I mean... You look young."

Maleficent's smile could have lit the entire room, and the younger blonde was instantly captivated by her beauty; the way her deep blue eyes sparkled and shimmered under the candlelight, how small wisps of blonde, curled hair bounced around her face, and her laughter sounded like it belonged to angels,

"Thank you, dear. It's very kind of you to think so." Just at that moment, she noticed the waiter heading back over and turned back to her date, "Are you ready to order?"

Emma was able to tear her eyes away from Mal's. She knew that she had been caught looking for a moment longer than usual, and her cheeks tinted with pink. She scanned the menu carefully being sure to read everything that appealed to her,

"Do you ladies need more time?"

Maleficent looked towards Emma who shook her head and gestured for her to go ahead and place hers before her own. Once the waiter made a note of both their dinner choices, he left once again.

"So Emma, tell me, when did you arrive in Storybrooke, how have I have never seen you before?"

The younger blonde took a sip of wine and thought back to the day she arrived in town, little over a year ago, and all the people she had met when it dawned upon her that she had never seen her companion either,

"Well, I arrived in town just over a year ago. I moved here from Boston after I caught my fiancée in bed with a man, one that I used to work with. I threw him out on the street, and Lilly tried to leave me, but instead I gave her our apartment and got in my car and just drove until I got lost. It was kinda by accident how I found Storybrooke. I didn't even know such a town existed." Emma smiled and looked up to meet Mal's gaze once again. "But I can say that since being here, my life has been better. I've met people - loyal, caring people - and I'm happier here. The crime rate isn't anywhere near as high or exciting as Boston, but at least that proves that the town is a safer place for people to live."

The older woman listened intently and she was moved by the way Emma spoke so openly about her past and the reasons why she had ended up in town. When the younger blonde touched upon her partner's infidelity she felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach, she too has had her heart broken by many people in her own past,

"So you worked in the police before you came to Storybrooke? How long have you been in the force?"

Emma paused to think before shrugging, "I don't really remember. Not long, though. I used to work as a bailbonds woman before I joined, but that was tiring, all the dressing up, constant dates with guys who were jerks and running after them in heels was not my idea of fun." She laughed at the memory and her date's interest,

"You mentioned catching your fiancée in bed with a guy...? Lilly?"

The younger blonde sighed softly. She really did not want to talk about her ex girlfriend, but it also felt so natural talking to Maleficent about her, so she continued,

"We met in college. We both flunked classes but then helped sort each other out. Friendship turned into a romantic relationship, and we both graduated on time and decided to get a place together. We moved to Boston, and Lilly struggled getting a job so ended up waiting on at a local diner whilst I did the bailsbond job. She didn't like it very much, with me having to meet up with guys who I had to pretend to be going on dates with and all the rest of it, so then I decided to try and get into the force. I wasn't expecting to get in, but when I did, well, it was great." Emma bit her lower lip once again when she thought back on the memories from her past before shaking her head, almost to clear her mind of the memories. "I was mad at Ruby at first for setting this up. Lilly hurt me badly and I- I find it hard to trust people..."

Maleficent took a sip of her wine and made solid eye contact with the sheriff. She understood all too well the pain and hurt that getting cheated on and used brought,

"Forgive me but...it seems like you're having no trouble in trusting me...?"

Emma knew she had let down her walls faster than she ever anticipated, but what she did not know was how or why. She had no idea why she told Mal all about her failed relationship with Lilly and how she left behind her life in Boston, ending up rolling into Storybrooke. That alone terrified her.

"I guess, I mean, it just feels natural talking to you. It's like I've known you for years," she took a longer sip of wine as she felt fear and anxiety build deep within her once again. "Just don't tell Ruby I told you any of this. She'll beat me up for opening up to you so soon and easily. It took her months to break through my walls."

"I will not say a word. Do not worry about that. The thing you need to be aware of with me is that I am trustworthy and I respect people's privacy and desires."

Emma gave her a small smile just as their food arrived. She was grateful for the food arriving before her stomach embarrassed her, but she was also miffed that it had interrupted the flow of their conversation.

"I appreciate honesty and loyalty in people. Everything else doesn't really matter. I mean, if you can't be honest to somebody then what's the point?"

Maleficent took a bite of her lobster and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with her napkin giving Emma a nod of understanding,

"Relationships in general are built on the grounds of honesty, respect and loyalty. So that makes perfect sense to me."

Emma was amazed by how similar they both really are, even though they both come from entirely different situations. The sheriff could tell just by looking at Maleficent. Maleficent wore a fine silk blouse and skirt with Louis Vuitton pumps, and _she_ was dressed in an old pink dress that was in the sale on from her bailbond days.

Panic started to set in when Emma realised that perhaps she had said too much too soon. Why would someone like Maleficent want to meet up with her again? They clearly come from different backgrounds… which raised a question from the blonde,

"You said earlier that you used to work in the college here?"

"Yeah, I was only there for a year. It did not work out."

Emma looked down out of guilt at the pained expression she detected in those magnificent blue eyes,

"Oh, I'm sorry. W-What happened?"

Maleficent put her knife and fork down after finishing her meal. Emma had already finished a good few minutes before. She dabbed at her mouth once again and took a sip of her wine. This particular topic made her feel uneasy. She did not know how much Emma knew about their little, quiet town,

"I had a disagreement with the principle. She did not like the way that I taught my classes, and she did not like how I had an arrangement with certain students. I helped to tutor the ones that were falling behind, but Regina said that I was putting special interest into those students, and that they weren't really failing the class."

Emma almost choked on her wine at the mention of Regina, but she was quickly able to swallow it,

"Hold up. Regina was the principle?! I thought she was the Mayor of this town?! How could she have gone from Education to Politics?"

"Regina's mother used to be Mayor, until she fell gravely ill. She asked Regina to step in for her when she passed."

Something did not sit quite right with the sheriff, but she let it slide, for now. She sure had some questioning to do with Ruby about the town's history. When she thought about what Maleficent had just told her about Regina being principle and then the mayor, it came to her mind about how no one seemed to look any older or different from when she arrived here a year ago. Everyone looked the same, almost as if they were frozen in time.

"So what line of business are you in now?" Emma enquired curiously,

"I own a collection of fashion boutiques and dabble in other things. I like to keep an open mind." The older blonde smiled suggestively at the younger woman, and she loved seeing the pink hue tinge her cheeks. "Would you like dessert, Emma?"

The sheriff tried to stay in control of her breathing. She hated how well Maleficent could control her feelings and emotions with a simple look. She shook her head, actually feeling full for once in her life,

"I'm too stuffed for dessert. Thank you, though."

Maleficent signalled for the waiter to come over and asked for the bill. She poured out the remainder of the wine between them and sat forward slightly in her seat,

"Can I tell you something, Emma? Without freaking you out?" The sheriff nodded. "I almost got up and left before you arrived. What you said earlier about being hurt and betrayed by women," she took a slow breath in, "I've been in that position so many times before. I didn't want to meet another woman and burden her with all my baggage."

Emma really had not expected those words to fall from her lips. She really sympathized with Maleficent due to her own history of girlfriends and failed relationships,

"It's okay, I nearly never even made it in the door. At least you managed to sit down at the table," Emma joked. She really did appreciate the honesty that the older woman portrayed in everything that she said. "I'm glad that I faced my fears head on, though. I—" Emma blushed at the admittance that was about to slip past her lips, "I have really enjoyed this evening."

Mal grinned from ear to ear. Underneath all of her confidence, she really feared that the evening would turn out to be a complete disaster. Once she paid the bill, they got up and left the restaurant and climbed into a cab together,

"Where do you live, Emma?"

"Only a few blocks away, near Granny's diner."

The car journey was short, and before long they were pulling up outside Emma's apartment. The two women got out of the cab after Mal asked the driver to wait whilst she escorted Emma to her front door,

"This has been lovely. Thank you for facing those fears of yours. I have had a really nice time, too." Maleficent gently reached out and tucked a stray blonde tress behind Emma's ear. Her fingers lingered longer than intended as she debated whether it was appropriate for her to make the next move, in the form of a kiss on Emma's cheek. She loved the way that the younger woman hummed in pleasure at the gesture, and when she pulled away she giggled at the lipstick mark on her cheek. "Sorry about the lipstick, it's supposed to not transfer. I guess that's what they call false advertising."

Emma's knees felt like jelly, but she did her best to remain upright and in control of her true feelings and emotions. She laughed and shook her head gently,

"Don't worry about it. I'll just send Ruby over to you to get all the details," Emma joked, and she could not help but laugh at the panic stricken look that took over Mal's features. "Don't worry, I wouldn't do that to you."

The two women noticed the cab driver was starting to get impatient, and Emma rolled her eyes as Maleficent looked apologetic,

"I guess I should get going. Thank you so much for coming tonight, Emma. Perhaps we could do it again sometime?"

Without hesitation, Emma nodded. She really did enjoy spending time with the older woman, and she knew that the feeling was mutual. Maleficent handed over a business card with her phone number on it which Emma gently took and smiled,

"I would like that. I'll give you a call towards the end of the week?"

"That sounds perfect. I'll talk to you soon. Goodnight, Emma."

"Goodnight, Mal."

Emma let herself into the apartment building and watched as Maleficent got back in the cab and disappeared at the end of the street. She literally felt like she was on top of the world and nothing would dampen her mood.

When she got inside her apartment, Ruby lay sprawled out on the couch causing a small chuckle to echo around the room. The sheriff grabbed a blanket and draped it carefully over the slouched brunette before turning in for the night before her interrogation the next morning.


	4. Gossip

**The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter**

 **Chapter 4: Gossip.**

The next morning Emma woke up at the sound of banging in the kitchen. She groaned from feeling exhausted, and her feet hurt so much after wearing those ridiculous heels. The sound of the brunette calling out caused the blonde to swear out loud and throw back her covers,

"God dammit, Ruby!" Emma got up and stumbled around her room whilst she pulled on a tank top and her tightest pair of skinny jeans. "What is so urgent you have to drag me out of bed for at-" she glanced at the clock on the wall in the hallway as she made her way into the kitchen area "-ten thirty?!"

Ruby placed a bearclaw on a plate and handed her friend a cup of coffee from Granny's along with one of her best excited smiles,

"I let you sleep in for as long as I could stand it, Em. What happened last night? You didn't get back until late. What was she like? What did you talk about? Are you going on another date?"

Emma took a long swig of coffee. She did not give a hell that the liquid burnt her mouth on the way down her throat. She really was not awake enough to have this conversation, but she had learnt by now that the easiest and quickest way to shut Ruby up was to give her what she wants,

"I went to the restaurant, and I've got to be honest with you, I nearly never made it in the front door." Emma rolled her eyes at Ruby's comical wide eyed look. "But, I did. It took a while for me to settle my nerves, and when I walked in I was almost having an anxiety attack. It was just...not my style, at all."

"What are you on about, Em? It was a restaurant. You go into them all the time!"

Emma sighed, exasperated, and threw her hands in the air. "But I don't go into the fucking Oceanaire every day of my life, do I?!" Ruby gave her a pointed look before continuing, "Anyway, I went in, and when I scanned the dining area I couldn't see anyone matching her description. A waiter lead me over to her, and she had picked a table in a private area. No one else in the entire place could see us."

Ruby started screaming at a pitch that made the blonde's ear drums almost shatter. She threw a bit of doughnut at her,

"She wanted to keep you all to herself, obviously!" Ruby continued to squeal and jump around the kitchen, not really caring about the people who lived on the floor below,

"Rubes, cut it out! I have neighbours, y'know, and if you want to hear more, then shut the fuck up with the squealing, too." The brunette promptly stopped both actions and sat opposite her friend at the table, literally perching on the edge of her seat. "So, when I got to Maleficent the first thing that I noticed were those eyes of hers. I mean, damn! They pulled me in and I was almost drowning in blue, but when she smiled at me? God, Rubes."

"Oh my God, Emma! Have you fallen for her already?! This is amazing!"

Emma quickly shut that thought down, even though she had quite possibly fallen for her just from the first glance,

"No, shut up and listen. Maleficent greeted me by asking if I was Miss- but I stopped her and told her to call me Emma. You know how much I hate it when people call me Miss Swan, right? So, I sat down and we talked and she told me to call her Mal..."

The blonde was cut off by loud squealing once again as Ruby could not keep a lid on her excitement at how the very first interaction between her two friends had played out. The brunette snatched hold of Emma's hand and squeezed it,

"Emma, hold the fuck up! Maleficent doesn't let just anyone call her Mal! She must really like you! She only lets people she knows are going to stick around in her life to call her that!"

The sheriff's complexion reddened and then paled slightly at the mixed emotions that statement had thrown up for her. She did really enjoy spending time with Maleficent, but for the older blonde to assume that she was going to stick around? She was overwhelmed with that piece of information.

"Cool it down, Ruby. I've only been on one date with her, and even though I had a really nice time and..." Emma stopped in her tracks, earning one of Ruby's pointed looks to continue, "I felt like we'd known each other for years. It felt so natural talking to her. She rambled on at first, which really made me feel at ease, because you know how much I ramble when I'm nervous..."

"EMMA! Maleficent doesn't get nervous or ramble! This is completely new information to me and I've known her for a good few years. My, she really must have liked you!"

The blonde narrowed her eyes towards her brunette friend as she sat back in her chair and took another swig of the rapidly cooling liquid,

"You seem surprised, that she might actually have liked me?"

"No, no, not surprised. Emma, Maleficent is one of the most eloquent people I know. She expresses herself extremely well and she never falters. The fact that she rambled when she met you? She does, she likes you, a lot."

Emma thought on what Ruby was saying. It was apparent that Maleficent was having a nice time with her during the meal, and not once did she ever get alarm bells going off from her internal lie detector. The blonde sighed and finished her bearclaw,

"She told me about working in the college you went to and how she left because she got into a dispute with Regina about tutoring some pupils after hours. She then went on to tell me about how Regina became Mayor, and that she now owns fashion chains."

Ruby nodded as she helped herself to a second doughnut from the selection box and fixed herself and Emma another mug of coffee,

"Yeah. Maleficent left Education just before I graduated and then she opened a store here in Storybrooke before deciding to expand to neighboring towns and cities. She takes fashion seriously, but don't let that put you off."

The blonde twisted her face into an uncertain expression. She herself did not care about how she looked or what she wore but if that kind of stuff was important to Maleficent, maybe she needed to invest in something new before their next date.

"Mal also asked me how I ended up in Storybrooke. I told her...well, everything. I told her all about Lilly and James. I told her how I just walked out of my apartment in Boston and just drove until I got lost and ended up here." Emma thought back to the conversation and she felt warm and fuzzy inside when she remembered the look of empathy and not pity on the older blonde's face when she spoke about her past. "She was so lovely about it all. She didn't pity me. She didn't judge me. She just listened."

"Well, it sure does sound like the date went well. So, what else?"

Emma thought back on the conversations she had with Mal and tried to pick out anything else she should report back to the brunette,

"We just talked about little things like, how good the food was..." a memory appeared into the blonde's mind making her gasp "OH! Before we ordered she could tell that I wasn't really comfortable with being in a fancy restaurant and she asked me if I would prefer us to go somewhere else. I thought that was very sweet and considerate of her."

Ruby literally could not find the words, which made Emma smirk in amusement. She continued on with the rest of the details from last night,

"Other than that, we left the restaurant together, and she got the cab to drop me off and walked me up to the door. She made me feel so safe but not overbearingly so. It all just felt really natural and normal. She gave me her business card and asked if I would like to go on another date with her."

The brunette began to chew her nails in anticipation. She had noticed the way that Emma's eyes shone and how she smiled when she recalled the details from the previous night. She felt so excited and happy that maybe this was the time that Emma Swan finally found happiness.

"What did you say? You said yes, right?!"

Emma rolled her eyes before nodding. She had no idea where she was going to choose to go for their next date, let alone what she was going to wear.

"Yeah. I told her that I'd give her a call at the end of the week with the plans. There's one final thing..."

"Oh for fuck's sake Emma! What?! Just tell me instead of getting me all worked up. It's killing me!"

Emma smirked but decided that her friend was right. She had to tell her what topped the evening off,

"Maleficent reached out and tucked my hair behind my ear and then she KISSED my cheek!"

The blonde recoiled within herself at the piercing sounds of her friend squealing and jumping around the entire kitchen once again. She shook her head and let Ruby have this one fit, after all, it was not exactly something that happened a lot.

A knock at the door signaled that it was time for Emma to go on her morning walk with none other than Killian Jones. When the blonde first met the wannabe pirate, she thought he was an arrogant, egotistical tosser that had nothing better to do than harass the women of the town. As time went on and the two became friends, she grew to understand that it was just the way he was and there was no changing him no matter how hard she tried.

The blonde tossed her empty carry out carton into the bin and said bye to Ruby before heading out. Killian seemed distracted and not as talkative and obnoxious, which raised suspicions to the sheriff.

"What's up with you today? You've got a face like a slapped ass." Emma curbed her tongue to stop herself from saying the rest of her sentence as she stopped and looked at her friend properly for the first time since setting out on their walk. "You can talk to me about anything. You know that, right?"

Killian scrunched up his nose. He did not like talking about how he was feeling, and the fact that the blonde had picked up that he was not his usual self made him angry for not having his walls up high enough,

"It's nothing, luv. I'm just tired, is all."

Emma raised her eyebrows as her internal lie detector started to bleep wildly. Killian should know better than to lie to her by now, and she sure as hell was not about to let this slide.

"You know you can't lie to me. Come on, we tell each other everything."

"No, we don't." Emma blinked as the dark haired man made eye contact with her for the first time since appearing outside her apartment. "You didn't tell me about your date with Maleficent."

The blonde was shocked with how angry he sounded over her date. She did not have to tell him anything she did not want to and the fact that he thought she did irritated her.

"How the hell do you know about that?"

"Everyone's talking about it. The town sheriff with the beautiful, elegant fashion businesswoman." Killian sneered. He really disliked Maleficent, and he disliked the thought of her and Emma together even more. "I'm surprised she didn't eat you at dinner. She's a dragon underneath all that expensive fabric."

Emma sighed and threw her hands up in frustration to silence the man. She could not handle Killian being a jackass today, especially after she woke up in a good mood following her night of fine dining and conversation.

"What the hell, Killian? Maleficent is a wonderful woman. She's intelligent, empathetic, caring, understanding and yes, she's beautiful," the blonde sighed and tried to get her anger at his outburst under wraps. "Yes, I went on a date with her last night, and I had a really good time."

He sighed and gave his friend an apologetic look. He was protective of Emma, and true, maybe even a little jealous of the fact that she had been on a date. He knew that the sheriff was attracted to women, but there was still a part of him that had hoped she would change her mind and agree to go on a date with him.

"Did you have fun? Did she look after you?"

Emma raised her brow. She did not really know what to think about Killian digging for details about her date,

"It was nice. We had a nice meal and she walked me to my door at the end of the night. Look, can we talk more later? I just have to go and get some food and coffee before I go to the station."

"Oh, sure. I'll talk to you later, luv."

Emma wrapped her arms awkwardly around the taller frame and gave him a light hug. She had half expected him to grope her ass whilst he was at it but the blonde was pleasantly surprised when he just let go of her and walked off down Main Street.

On entering Granny's diner the sheriff looked around and saw the usual diners. It was not until she looked at the bar when the blonde noticed none other than Regina Mills. The younger woman was confused. She had never seen the Mayor in the diner before. She walked on over and took the seat next to the brunette, not saying a word.

"Good Afternoon Sheriff. You should be in work, should you not?"

"Uhh, kinda. I'm just grabbing my lunch, if that's okay?"

Regina visibly smirked and took a sip of her latte. She loved how feisty the blonde was and how she just spoke her mind,

"Of course it is. I would not want the town's Sheriff to cost the taxpayer money for having to get a replacement in to cover your shifts if you collapse." Regina glanced out of the window before sighing and turned back to her, "So, you and Killian?"

The blonde took a large swig of her coffee and had to force herself to swallow the liquid. It burnt her throat and her eyes watered from almost choking.

"Me and Killian? What about us? Is it illegal for me to go for a walk with a friend now?"

The older brunette's lips turned up in a wicked smile. She enjoyed toying with the blonde and getting bitten by her words,

"You could do so much better than him. He only cares about himself."

Emma raised a brow as one million questions flew around her mind. She leaned on the counter and gazed into warm chocolate,

"Oh please do tell why you care so much about who I associate with in this town, Madame Mayor?"

Regina took a painfully slow sip of coffee as she thought about her answer. She loved winding the sheriff up, and she was resentful that she could not do it on a more regular basis. However, now was the time to bite the bullet and come out with the one thing that she had always wanted to say to the brassy blonde,

"Perhaps it is not the people that you associate with. Perhaps it is you that I care about."

Both women looked shocked at the confession that escaped perfectly painted lips. Emma stared for a moment trying to see whether her inner lie detector started bleeping wildly, but when it did not she blinked and hung her mouth open, obviously at a loss for words.

"I-" the blonde swallowed thickly and tried to speak again, "Why?" She kicked herself at losing all ability to form a coherent sentence, much to the mayor's amusement.

"Your way with words really does astound me, Miss Swan-"

"It's Emma." The sheriff winced at how she sounded. She did not want to come across as rude. "My name is Emma. If you really insist on the title business then I guess you can address me as Sheriff Swan."

Regina grinned. She admired the boldness of the blonde's tone and attitude, but she knew there have been times in the past when she wanted to do nothing more than to turn the sheriff into stone and display her on her front lawn, and she knew that there would be times that urge would come back.

"Very well, Sheriff. For all it is worth, I know that you are only friends with Killian."

"What does that mean...?" Emma braced herself for the next series of statements and questions to come charging in her direction. Storybrooke is a small town, after all, and gossip soon got around.

"You are dating Maleficent, are you not?" The brunette knew that she sounded sour, but to think of the one person she had had her eye on ever since she arrived in her town being with someone like Maleficent rotted her core.

"I've been on one date with her. Why?"

"Are you planning on seeing her again?"

The sheriff shifted her weight uncomfortably. She did not like disclosing details about her personal life to anyone, and maybe it was because Regina had opened up that it making the blonde feel obliged to answer her questions, or maybe it was something entirely different. Whatever it was, she wanted to punch its lights in.

"We've arranged to meet again at the end of the week. I don't see why that's any of your business, though."

Before Regina could answer, Granny started to usher people out of the diner. The sound of people leaving and Granny giving her apologies and explanation of having to do some maintenance work filled the otherwise silent air around the two women. Once the diner was cleared, Regina inhaled slowly,

"I am only asking purely because I would quite like to make dinner for you. How does Saturday night sound?"

A small cough that did not belong to Emma grabbed Regina's attention. She turned and saw Granny standing behind them, looking unsure at how to interrupt the couple.

"I'm sorry to intrude, but I need you folk out of here. I have maintenance work starting any minute now. Health and Safety and all."

Emma noticed a tension rising between Regina and the elderly woman. She grabbed her coffee and pastry bag and lightly touched the brunette's arm, flashing Granny a soft smile,

"It's no problem. We'll continue this outside."

The blonde had absolutely no idea what to do or say to Regina's proposal. When she arrived in Storybrooke over a year ago, she was immediately attracted to the mayor, and she longed for this moment to happen. It sure was typical timing, right after she had been on a date with somebody else.

The older woman tugged her jacket closer around her body to fight off the slight chill in the sea air. She really hated being so close to the coast at times like these. A slightly uncomfortable silence carried on between the two women as Emma tried to battle with her subconscious.

"As I was saying before we got interrupted, I make the best Thai shrimp curry in town." Regina hated how vulnerable and open she let herself be around the blonde. She had never asked anyone over to dinner in such a public and outright way for years, and when Emma still had not replied she feared the worst,

"I-" Emma saw how difficult it was for the older woman to ask her for dinner, and she knew that the offer was genuine. She could not help but to feel overwhelmed at the offer, one that she had waited for for a long time. "That sounds great. What time should I be there?"

The mayor flashed a mega watt smile towards the sheriff. She really was not expecting the blonde to agree, especially since she learned about the upcoming date with Maleficent. The evil side of her cheered at how she would soon be winning the heart of Emma Swan and pulling her away to leave Maleficent all on her own. Regina knew that she would get her revenge on her former friend for what she did to her all of those years ago.

"How does 8pm sound? You know my address, I assume?"

Emma made a mental note and nodded to herself. She could still have her date with Maleficent. All they had agreed on so far was for it to be at the end of the week, so that left Friday night and Sunday.

"8pm Saturday at the big white house. Yep, I've got it." The blonde smiled as the older woman rolled her eyes and started to walk off down the road,

"Oh and Sheriff?" Emma turned back around to face Regina. "Do try and not be late."

The younger woman crossed her heart, earning another eye roll off of the mayor before she continued walking in the direction of Mifflin Street. Emma exhaled slowly, still unable to believe what had just happened. All she knew was that she needed to talk to Ruby, pronto.


	5. Secret Affair

**The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter**

 **Chapter Five: Secret Affair**

Emma woke up on Saturday morning, and her stomach churned uneasily. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and sighed, seeing that she should probably get up. Half an hour later the sheriff was showered, dressed, and headed out on her way to the station.

When the blonde walked in, she saw Ruby on the phone and writing down message after message. When she finally got off the phone, Emma was greeted by a smiling brunette.

"Morning. Got some messages for you. There's Doctor Hopper wondering if anyone has seen Pongo, and there's some reports of missing cats, and, oh, Doc from the pharmacy said that kids have been shoplifting again. Same old." Ruby handed Emma the messages and noticed that her friend was acting strangely. "What's up with you?"

Emma sighed. She really could not be doing with running around Storybrooke trying to find Pongo again, not when she was so worked up about her date later that day.

"I just woulda thought that Archie had learnt his lesson from the last time we spent time and energy looking for his damned dog." She ran her hands through her hair and sighed exasperated. "I have a date tonight..."

That got Ruby's attention. The brunette leapt up from her desk and sat on Emma's. She really had too much energy.

"You're seeing Mal again so soon?!"

"Not exactly..."

"But I thought you just said-"

"I did. I didn't say it was with Maleficent, though."

Hazel eyes grew wide as she finally put two and two together.

"Oh. So who's it with? And why are you so anxious about it?"

Emma groaned. She did not really want to get into all of this right now. She still had not finished her coffee, and her mind was already working over time.

"Regina. We had a chat yesterday at Granny's. I went to get my coffee and bearclaw and I don't know how it happened but she asked me to join her and we ended up chatting. She went on about how I could do so much better than to hang around with Killian, and then she asked me about whether it was true or not that I was dating Mal."

"Oh...My...God."

"Yep. So anyway, Granny had to shut early to do some maintenance or something and when we left she asked if I would go to her place for dinner tonight. I wasn't sure at first, because of Mal but then I realised that we aren't official or anything, and we have just been on one date, so I'm not doing anything wrong by agreeing, right?"

Ruby literally bounced in her seat. She knew that the sheriff had a thing for the mayor and had seen the tense exchanges between the two women, which meant she had also had to endure the sexual tension between them. The brunette had no idea that the uptight mayor would wear her heart on her sleeve and outright ask the blonde on a date.

"That's the whole point of dating, Em. You can go on multiple ones with however many people you like. Mal won't be offended or hurt by it! This is amazing. I know that you've wanted to get to know Regina better ever since you laid eyes on her." She smirked which caused Emma to roll her eyes. "So what time are you going around to her place?"

"She said to be there for 8pm. I have nothing to wear though. I can't go on a date with Regina wearing the same thing I wore when I went out to meet Maleficent. That's just...not cool."

The younger woman squealed as she knew that this only meant one thing. The one thing that Emma knew was coming but dreaded.

"Shopping time! I know this great little boutique that sells really nice dresses. Something from there will be perfect to go for dinner at Regina's. You know how she feels about looking good."

Emma groaned and rested her head in her hands.

"Yep. I know that all too well. She never has a speck of dust or dirt on them suits. Everything about her is pristine and perfect. I'm way out of my league here Rubes. Maybe I should just call her and cancel"

"Emma Swan don't you dare! We are going to go and make some enquiries about Pongo, call in to the Dark Star to see Doc and then we are going to hit that boutique and find you something to wear, okay?"

Emma knew that it would be pointless trying to argue with the brunette. When Ruby had a plan she followed through with it regardless. She drained her coffee before tossing the empty carton into the trash and grabbed her keys.

"Okay, fine. Let's go find Pongo."

Two hours later, the duo had solved the mystery and found Pongo, as well as catching the shoplifters from the pharmacy. After a lengthy conversation with Doc about security, Emma had managed to convince him to update the CCTV system and get some alarms fitted to help decrease the chances of someone getting away undetected.

Ruby gave Emma the directions to the boutique and the two women entered the store. Emma was fazed by the bright lights and how expensive it looked, but the way that Ruby walked around the store picking out different dresses and outfits made her believe that she came here on a regular basis.

"Rubes, I can't afford anything too over the top, you know..." She glanced at a red dress with diamanté around the bust. "And I am only going to Regina's house for dinner. I'm not going out anywhere fancy."

Ruby dismissed Emma's disinterest in the dresses that she was currently holding and rolled her eyes at the blonde's discomfort. The younger woman had an eye for style that the blonde clearly lacked.

"It may look a bit much just holding it, but when you try it on it'll look completely different, I swear." She continued looking through the clothing rail and pulled out a simple peach floaty dress and held it up against the sheriff. "You'd look stunning in this one!"

Emma turned towards the mirror and replaced Ruby's hands with her own. She did like the dress and the way that it looked against her pale complexion and blonde hair. She sighed and reluctantly placed it over her arm to try on.

"I think there are more than enough to try. Can we go to the changing rooms now?"

Ruby finished flicking through the rail before nodding and made her way to the back of the store with Emma. She hung up the dresses in the cubicle and sat on the chaise outside. A few minutes passed, and she was growing impatient.

"Em, seriously, how long does it take for you to get changed?!"

The blonde rolled her eyes and flipped Ruby the finger, even though she knew that she could not see her on the other side of the curtain. The sheriff studied herself in the red cocktail dress for a few more minutes. True, she did look amazing in it, which surprised her, but she still was not convinced that it was the right thing to wear to the mayor's home. Eventually, she opened the curtain and walked out to her eagerly awaiting friend.

"I like it, I've got to admit, but I think it's too dressy. I think something more...simple would be better."

Ruby wolf whistled and cheered as Emma turned around and did a little walk.

"I told you that it would look different once you had it on. It suits you, Em, but maybe you're right, and you won't ever hear me admit defeat again, so don't get used to it."

Emma rolled her eyes and disappeared back inside the cubicle and carefully removed the red number before replacing it with the light peach dress. She liked herself more in that one, and she felt more comfortable. She went back out to Ruby and repeated the process of doing a little walk and twirl.

"This one feels more comfortable, and it's not over the top like that red thing. What do you think?"

Ruby admired the blonde from different angels before nodding in agreement.

"That one is perfect. It still shows your figure off and it contrasts nicely with your skin and hair. What shoes are you going to wear with it?"

Shoes. Fuck. Emma had not thought about them. She tried to mentally picture the shoes she has at home but none would go with this particular dress. Ruby must have got a sense at what she was thinking. Before she knew it, the brunette had reappeared holding a pair of matching peach stilettos.

"Try these on. They match perfectly!"

Emma's eyes widened at the size of the heel.

"You can't be serious! I know I used to wear high shoes when I did bails bond work, but Jesus Christ, Ruby! I'd end up breaking my neck if I tried to walk in those!"

The younger woman sighed, exasperated with the blonde's lack of trust in her. She placed the shoes on the floor and held onto Emma's arm as the blonde stepped into them. Once they were on Emma did a little walk around the changing area and realised that they were not all that bad.

"Okay. They're not too bad, I guess. So, can we go now?"

Ruby nodded, happy that Emma had not complained too much about the shoes that she chose. Emma paid for her outfit before the two women made their way back to the sheriff's apartment.

Emma glanced at the clock on the living room wall and saw that it was coming up to 7pm. She dumped her bags in her bedroom before taking a shower.

When the blonde emerged from the bathroom, the brunette sprung into action and began to blow dry and curl Emma's hair to perfection. She smiled when she was done and took a look to make sure that she had not missed any wisps.

"How does that look? Do you like it?"

The sheriff inspected her friend's handiwork and grinned.

"It's lovely. Thanks, Rubes."

"Just don't go too heavy with the make up. Natural shades and light lips."

Emma rolled her eyes. She hardly wore make up, but this particular evening called for some. She dug out her palettes and brushes and after some observations from the brunette she was declared ready. Ruby left the older woman to get changed and made her self at home with the blonde's biscuit tin.

The sheriff studied herself in the floor length mirror for a final time before slipping into her shoes. She turned off the bedroom light and went in the search for Ruby.

"You better have left me some bourbons. You know they're my favourite." Emma grinned.

Ruby almost choked on the custard cream. How she had not heard the older woman coming into the room she had no clue.

"Jesus! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Ruby looked around and saw Emma standing in the doorway, and she was blown away by the image that greeted her. "Holy shit...!"

Emma shifted her weight uncomfortably and lightly tugged on the hem of her dress. She knew that she looked good, but she started to feel more anxious and self-conscious.

"Do you think it's too much? Should I get changed into something else? I don't wanna make an idiot of myself by going too dressed up."

Ruby jumped up and dashed over to the doorway and reached out for the sheriff's hand. She gave it a gentle tug and grabbed her phone.

"You're not getting changed. You look so fucking gorgeous. You're going to knock Regina dead! We need photos of this moment."

The blonde groaned and reluctantly posed for selfies and various different shots on her own for the brunette. She glanced at her clock and realised that it was almost time to go.

"Okay. So, are you sure that I look okay?"

Ruby rolled her eyes and walked her friend to the door. She gave the blonde a long cuddle and grinned from ear to ear.

"Em, just go. You're going to have so much fun. You've waited a long time for this, and now it's happening. You've got to make the most of it, okay?"

Emma nodded before walking out onto the street.

"Remember what I said about bourbons. Don't eat them all or I'll kill you."

"Just get out of here already! You don't want to keep Regina Mills waiting for you. You know what she is like with punctuality."

The sheriff laughed before turning around on her heel and making her way down the street towards Mifflin Street.

Five minutes later, Emma arrived at the white mansion that dominated the street. There were no doubts over which house belonged to the mayor of Storybrooke. The blonde made her way up the garden path and reached out to knock on the white door. Her nervousness kicked in once again as she patiently waited for the door to open.

Whilst pacing on the doorstep to the mansion Emma remembered that Regina had instructed her to knock and then let herself in. The sheriff felt uneasy just walking into somebody's home, but Regina had given her prior permission to so she was not doing anything wrong, right?

The blonde wiped her sweaty palms on some tissue before walking into the foyer. Once inside Emma looked around at the rather tasteful and expensive décor. She continued looking around the downstairs of the house trying to figure out where Regina was. The next room she tried was the kitchen and when she was not in there she really did not know where to go.

"Regina? Regina it's Emma. Where are you?"

Emma walked further around the house. She passed a shut oak door and she was sure that she heard some noise coming from the other side of it. She stopped in her tracks and listened for a few minutes. Once convinced that her date was on the other side she knocked and twisted the knob to enter the dimly lit room.

The blonde was prepared to be shouted at by the mayor for interrupting her paperwork or some other work focus based activity. Nothing could have prepared Emma for what she was about to see.

Regina was standing in between the legs of a younger brunette woman who was sprawled out across her marble desk. Emma blinked a few times. She really could not believe what she was seeing. The sheriff stood in the doorway and turned up the lighting. Regina made no effort to even glance up at the change of lighting, which pissed Emma off even more.

"Oh I'm sorry to interrupt, Madame Mayor!"

The older brunette stood up straight and looked towards the blonde. She had lost track of time and she could feel the tension rising in the room.

"Emma. Hi, I am sorry. I had no idea that you were here."

Emma threw up her hands in anger and frustration. She really could not believe that this was happening.

"You asked me to come, remember? You saw me yesterday and you said that you'd like to cook dinner for me tomorrow at 8pm? You told me to let myself in."

Regina walked around the desk and made her way over to the blonde. She did feel truly awful for having Emma walk in on her, not because she was ashamed, but because she did not want to hurt the sheriff.

"I remember, of course I remember. I just lost track of time." the brunette turned around to glance at the younger brunette. "I would like you to leave now. I have a prior engagement."

The blonde scoffed and shook her head in disbelief. She could not believe that Regina would treat anyone the way that she was treating both herself and the younger brunette.

"Hey, don't. I'm going. I can't even be here right now. Thanks for the invite, but maybe it's best if we don't start something neither of us can finish."

The older brunette followed the younger woman out of the room, leaving Belle in her study. She knew that she fucked up and she had to fix it, and fast.

"Emma, wait. I really am sorry..."

"No. It's fine. I get it. I'm dating somebody else, but you two seem to be a lot closer than just dating. Why did you invite me if she was going to be here too?"

Regina sighed. She really did not know what to do or say. She could see the hurt in forest green eyes and her heart ached.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Emma. I'm sorry that you had to see that. I am just dating Belle. I guess you could say that we are...close."

Emma just nodded. All of her fears began to spring to the surface and she knew that she had to get out of there and fast. The blonde made her way back to the foyer. She was followed by the mayor of Storybrooke.

"I've gotta go. I need to think things through. I really don't think that this is going to be the right thing for us to get into right now. You should have really thought things through better before inviting me over this evening, Regina. Do you know how fucked up this situation is?"

Regina opened the door for the blonde. It was just in that moment that she realised how beautiful the sheriff looked. The mayor was taken back by how much effort Emma had put into making sure she looked nice for their date and her guilt chipped away at her soul once again.

"I understand, Emma. You are right, I should have thought things through better."

The blonde glanced up at the dark haired beauty but quickly averted her eyes and made off down the garden path. She really did not want to go home yet. She knew that Ruby was waiting for her at her apartment, and she really could not face explaining how she had gone to her date only to discover Regina in a compromising position with a rather attractive young brunette.

Tears stung Emma's eyes. She was never one to cry, and she hated the fact that Regina was the cause of her newest tears, and it was not because of her walking in to find Regina with another woman. It was more to do with the fact of the last time she walked in on something she was not expecting, she found her fiancée with a guy, and that hurt the blonde to no end. The sheriff did not know where to go or what to do, so she ran in the general direction of the place where she ran away to when she needed some alone time, the Toll Bridge.

The young woman collapsed in a pile on some grass at the edge of the river, and the flood gates opened. She sobbed and cursed at the top of her lungs. The blonde knew that she had left herself open to all of this hurt and upset, but she never expected Regina Mills to have such an effect on her. Maybe she was destined to be on her own, or maybe she should have just stayed with dating Maleficent.


	6. Confessions

**The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter**

 **Chapter Six: Confessions**

Emma hated letting her guard down, and she hated Regina being the cause of her outburst of emotions. The blonde tossed some stones into the stream to try and relieve some of the anger from within her, but to no avail. She sat back down on the grassy verge and huffed.

"You're a fucking idiot, Swan. You should know better than to trust people, especially women. Just look at how things ended with Lily!" Emma could feel the anger resurface and threw herself backwards so she was laying down flat. "Well, that settles that. No more dates. No more trusting people. You're just going to go through life alone."

Just as Emma finished her little speech to nobody she heard a soft chuckle, she screamed out loud and grabbed a stone from beside her. The blonde scrambled upright, and held the stone ready to throw. She was surprised to see that the intruder was Maleficent, sitting elegantly on a rock.

"You are a little young to write off any chance of spending your life with somebody, do you not think, Emma?" The older woman raised an brow at the choice of weapon the sheriff was going to defend herself with and smirked.

"What the fu-" The sheriff managed to curb her tongue just in time. On realising that she was not in any danger she tossed the stone into the river, cleared her throat and tried again. "How long have you been sitting there?!"

"I did not mean to alarm you, dear. I have been here the whole time. I noticed you were upset and wanted to make sure you were okay."

Emma looked panicked. She hated the thought of anybody seeing her upset and off guard, never mind that somebody being Maleficent. The blonde would hate for the older woman to think of her as weak. The younger woman shifted her feet uncomfortably before sighing.

"Yeah? Well, I'm anything but okay. I'll be fine once I learn to not let anybody close to me."

Maleficent's laughter did things to the blonde's lower abdomen. Nothing should ever sound so angelic.

"I think it is a little too late for that, honey. You put a lot of trust in me on our first date." Crystal blue eyes met frantic forest green and she knew that the younger woman was panicking even more. "Emma, I do not know what has happened, but what I do know is that I will never betray your trust."

The sheriff scrutinised the older blonde, looking for any reason to disbelieve her. When her internal lie detector did not ring any alarm bells, she visibly relaxed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"So, are you gonna tell me how the hell you just appeared from nowhere?"

Mal smirked as she tilted her head slightly to the side, keeping her eyes locked on the troubled woman in front of her.

"Are you going to tell me why you are sitting in the woods so late at night, on your own, wearing such a beautiful dress?"

Emma sighed, exasperated. She picked up another stone and tossed it into the stream, trying to think of the best way to start the explanation. Maleficent must have detected that the sheriff was feeling anxious from the way that she took hold of her hand, and lead her to a softer patch of grass under a tree.

"I just don't think I'm up to this romance stuff. Every time I get involved with someone, I get hurt. Doesn't that kinda defeat the object?"

Mal could see how torn the younger woman was. She hated seeing Emma look so broken and dejected, but she put on a brave face and smiled warmly.

"It is not meant to be easy, honey. If it was, then life would be boring. Perhaps you are looking in all the wrong places?"

Emma sighed. She thought back to when she first arrived in Storybrooke and all the times she had ran into the mayor, not to mention all the arguments they had had regarding professional opinions. The sheriff could not help but feel attracted to the dark haired beauty. Everything about her pulled Emma in closer and closer. Her smell, her laugh, her smile, her voice, and those luscious pools of chocolate.

"I wasn't intentionally looking in the first place. It just kinda happened, you know? When I left Boston, I set out for a new start some place where nobody knew me and where I could just focus on my career." Emma played with her hands nervously. "When Ruby told me that she set up our first date I was angry with her. She of all people knew how I felt about meeting potential partners. It makes me feel uneasy and to some degree, threatened."

Mal nodded. She appreciated how difficult it must be for Emma to open up and reveal her true emotions and thoughts.

"It is only natural to feel afraid of putting your trust into somebody, especially when you have been betrayed."

"Exactly. It took years for Lily to gain my trust. She of all people understood my fears of being hurt and having my trust broken, but even she didn't care in the end."

"Lily did not deserve you." The statement came as a surprise to both Mal and Emma. The younger woman blinked a few times as she let the words sink in, and Mal tried to find her words. "I mean, if she was capable of being unfaithful she does not deserve anyone."

Emma fidgeted and started to pull at the grass underneath her. She found talking about Lily too painful and uncomfortable.

"I don't want to talk about Lily any more. She's nothing but a painful reminder of my failed past. I've moved on, and so has she."

"So she has not been in touch to make you upset?"

The younger woman looked up and ceased her grass destruction. She realised that she had not actually told Maleficent who or what had upset her to begin with. The sheriff took a deep, shaky breath and shook her head.

"No, it wasn't Lily. I had a date this evening with Regina, only it didn't work out. We never even made it to the table."

The older woman tensed up at the confession from the sheriff. She knew that she could not fly off the handle, they have only been on one date after all, but the thought of Regina hurting somebody else that she cared about deeply riled her.

"Do you want to talk about it, Emma?" She choose her words carefully, she did not want to come off too strong, but Maleficent was going to find out what happened to make Emma run and hide in the woods. "Only if you want to, there is no pressure."

Emma sighed and tried to fight back tears. There was no way she was going to cry, not in front of Mal.

"There's not a lot to say really. Yesterday I bumped into her at Granny's and we got talking. She made a few digs about me hanging around with Killian, saying how I could do so much better than associate with him. Regina then asked me if the rumours of us going on a date were true and she looked upset about it. Anyway, I told her that they were true and that we have another one set up. Granny was closing early so we got kicked out but we stood outside and talked some more, then she asked me to dinner at her place." Mal squeezed Emma's hand softly as an act of encouragement to keep talking, but also as a sign that she was listening. "So, this evening, I got ready, and made my way to Regina's. She told me to let myself in once I got there. I tried calling out for her a few times and wandered around the house to try and look for her, and then I heard someone talking from behind a closed door. I know it probably serves me right for walking in, but I did knock a few times. I saw Regina with some young brunette. They were having a... intimate moment together."

The sheriff felt sick having to talk about it, but she knew that Mal was there to comfort her and help her through her upset. She really hated Regina for what she had done, and she hated herself for throwing caution to the wind. Maleficent cleared her throat after a few minutes of silence, she tried to contain her anger towards Regina and put on her best smile for the younger woman.

"I am so sorry that you have had to go through that, Emma. Regina is not very...conscious of her actions and how they impact other people. That is something that I learned a lot time ago."

Emma felt tension in the air for a brief moment before Mal snapped out of her daydream. The younger woman picked up on how much her companion had mentioned time, and her curiosity flooded her mind.

"How long did you say you've known Regina for? I mean, the way you talk about her it seems like it's been at least thirty years, but that's impossible, right?"

Mal chuckled lightly. She never thought to pay closer attention to what she said, not that any of that mattered any more, not after her next move.

"You asked me how I appeared without you realising. I just want you to promise that you will not be freaked out or scared, okay?"

The sheriff raised a brow at the older woman. All she needed was for the one person, who was not Ruby, that she trusted to turn out to be some sort of lunatic. The younger woman began to feel physically sick, her heart rate picked up and her palms started to sweat.

"Okay, I promise. Just tell me, please? You're kinda freaking me out a little."

Blue eyes started to swirl with fear. Emma knew fear as soon as she saw it. Gods, she has felt it more often than not. She gingerly reached out and took hold of Mal's right hand and entwined her fingers with her own, giving her a gentle smile of encouragement. The older woman took one long look at the sheriff and met her eyes before taking a shaky breath.

"I do not know how much you have explored this town, Emma. To any outsider Storybrooke would seem—strange. Everybody here is unique, shall we say?"

The opening statement got the younger woman's full attention. She had not realised how strange the little quaint town of Storybrooke was until recently. She noticed how no body has celebrated a birthday and she has observed the same people doing exactly the same thing every single day without fail.

"Unique? How...?"

"Take Regina, for example. She is extremely powerful, and she uses that to her advantage. I am not talking about the fact that she is mayor. It goes way beyond politics. Ruby? There is a reason why she never stays out too long after midnight on a full moon."

Emma looked confused. She stared with one brow pointed and raised, she had no idea what was going on but her instincts were telling her that this was not a lie, nor a joke.

"I don't really care about Regina, there's nothing she can do to hurt me, not any more. When a full moon hits Ruby is always on her period, that's why she doesn't stick around late at night. She just wants to get home like any other woman during their visit off Aunt Flo."

Maleficent worried her lip. She really needed Emma to understand everything that she was telling her, and to take it seriously. The older woman gave her hand a gentle squeeze to bring Emma back to the here and now.

"Emma, we all have our talents and gifts in this town. I know that this is going to sound completely crazy, but you once told me that you believe in magic. I need you to believe now, can you do that for me?"

The sheriff started to sweat more, she kept her eyes focused on Maleficent and not once did she look away from the older blonde. She could feel her throat thicken, and the silence was almost unbearable.

"Can you please just tell me what the hell is going on?!"

"I appeared out of nowhere, Emma. That is exactly what happened. I saw you leaving Regina's house on my way home and the last thing I saw was you fleeing down the street. We have a really strong bond. We were able to connect to one another straight away. It was that, that enabled me to be able to find you."

"I...what...?!" Emma wiped her sweaty palms and took a deep breath, she was certain she had fallen asleep and all of this was a crazy dream. "You still haven't explained anything, Maleficent. How did you appear out of nowhere?"

"Technically, it was not out of no where. I took on the form of a crow and I was circling the area. I heard you break your heart and self loathe. I could not bear to listen to you beating yourself up because of that woman. That is when I made myself known to you. I am a Shapeshifter, Emma."

"A sh—shapeshifter? Is this some kind of joke? I'm really not in the mood to be playing games here, Maleficent."

"Emma, would you really think I would make this up? I know just how much you have trusted me by talking about your past. It is only fitting that I admit to what I am, and why no body has been near me in such a long time."

Emma's smirk dropped when she realised that Mal was telling the truth. Of course, she needed to prove it to her. Storybrooke really was a town full of never ending surprises.

"Prove it to me. Change into something, anything at all." She noticed the smile and light fade slightly from Mal's features and cursed mentally to herself. "I do believe you. I just...I need to see it."

Mal knew that revealing her true nature to the blonde was a risk, but it was one that she needed to take, and she would do anything Emma asked of her. She got up from her spot and moved away from the younger woman, and inhaled sharply.

"Do not be afraid, Emma. I will not hurt you. The good thing about me taking on a different form is I have learnt to control myself."

Emma nodded. She would by lying if she said she was not scared about what was about to happen, but at the same time, she trusted Maleficent irrevocably. The sheriff kept firm eye contact with the older woman, and the only thing that broke her attention was the green swirl of smoke the engulfed the mysterious blonde. Once the smoke cleared, Emma was left dazzled at the sight of a unicorn standing in exactly the same spot her date was just a moment ago. She rose to her feet and took small, tentative steps closer to the magnificent beast.

"M—Mal...?"

Of course, the unicorn could not verbally confirm that it was in fact Mal, but the gesture of closing the gap between the two cleared any doubts for the sheriff. Emma reached out slowly and ran her hand gently over the beasts head to its nose. The unicorn rubbed against Emma's hand softly, and it was not until Emma took a small step back that she noticed the same piercing blue eyes that belonged to Maleficent. She gasped in amazement that such a thing as Shapeshifting was possible, which only left room in the sheriff's mind that nothing was _im_ possible.

"Thank you, for showing me this, Mal. Can you, can you change back to human form now?"

The unicorn whinnied softly as it took two steps backwards, and the same green smoke slowly engulfed it, only this time revealing Maleficent in human form. Emma stared at the older woman for a few moments, still not quite believing what she had just witnessed. Any other person would have laughed at her, or called her a freak if she openly discussed what has just happened, but the truth of the matter was, Emma Swan was not scared or threatened by the possibilities of what could happen, she was going to embrace Maleficent, and everyone else in Storybrooke, for who they really are.

"Are you okay, Emma?"

The younger woman did not realise that she was still staring, slack jawed. She quickly snapped out of her daze and smiled warmly at Mal.

"I'm more than okay. I'm slightly jealous that I can't do that, I've got to admit," Emma joked as Mal joined her back on the grass. The sheriff had some questions for the older woman, and it was about time that she asked the one that has been on her mind since hearing all about her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, anything you wish to know, I will tell you."

Emma began to play with her hands, a sure sign of nerves. She did not want to sound like an idiot, or offend Mal. God knows she could turn into something a lot worse than a unicorn and finish her right there on the spot.

"I'm curious about your name. Where does Maleficent come from, exactly?"

Mal laughed. She was not expecting a question about her name. Hell, she had just turned into a unicorn for heaven's sakes.

"Storybrooke is not exactly our first home. Everybody in this town is from somewhere different, somewhere only the truest believers know about, The Enchanted Forest. There were a lot of kingdoms around the Forest, and I came from Prince Philip's and Princess Aurora's. When we were all at home, I was not the most favourable person. I was locked away in a castle where no one dared to venture. It was lonely and depressing, but then after a number of years somebody came and woke me from my sleep. She was a powerful sorceress..."

"Regina?"

"Yes, dear. She travelled from afar to seek a particular curse that I specialised in. I told her that I was not in the mood to do business, and she took out her frustration on my pet unicorn. She was ruthless and would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. To cut a long story short, she stole the curse from me, and disappeared. A whole year passed by and one morning a black cloud of smoke swept across all the realm, and we were suddenly in this little town called Storybrooke. I have no idea what Regina did to bring us here, or why."

"What was the curse that she wanted so desperately from you?"

"It was a sleeping curse. All she said was that there was somebody back in her kingdom she needed to get rid of, she did not say who it was or why. Regina is a private person like that."

"Huh. So I guess the curse didn't work or it backfired and that's what brought you all here?"

Maleficent shrugged softly. She was amazed at how well Emma was taking all of this new information about herself, and where she originated from.

"Oh no, the curse worked, but what Regina did not know was that it could be broken by True Love's kiss. As soon as her victim was awakened, she got pissed and took all of her anger and frustration out on so many innocent lives. Perhaps she brought us all here so she could torture us in a different light."

"What a bitch. In a way, though, she did you a favour, right? I mean, you have loads of friends here and no one seems afraid of you."

Mal chuckled at that. It was true that she had a small unit of close friends, and she had done well for herself without the need for magic, but that did not necessarily mean that she had no enemies.

"No one ought to fear me, Emma, not unless somebody hurts or upsets somebody I care about, then I guess they will wake the inner dragon."

It was now Emma's turn to laugh.

"Hold up, dragon?!"

There was a sparkle that shimmered in Maleficent's eyes, a mischievous and knowing glint that Emma could recognise, there was more to shapeshifting into unicorns.

"Yes, dear. I can take on any form that I so desire. It just so happens that taking on the form a dragon is a personal favourite of mine."

The two women burst into laughter. Emma vowed to herself to never get on the wrong side of Maleficent. She could handle unicorns, and possibly everything else that the older woman has ever turned into, but she was not so sure about taking on a dragon. The sheriff wiped a stray tear that found its way trailing down her cheek from laughing so hard. She turned to face Mal and smiled so brightly it stole the older woman's heart.

"Thank you, so much, for being so open and honest about all of this stuff. It's crazy for me to be able to openly admit that I am dating a shapeshifter! I never thought I'd be saying that when I left Boston."

The air between the two women changed slightly as Maleficent drank in Emma's words. She was shocked to say the least that the younger woman classed them as 'dating' and not 'dated', which made her heartbeat fluctuate.

"You still want to date me, even after finding out all of this about me...?"

The younger woman reached out, and placed a hand gently on Mal's cheek. She was surprised at herself for making such a bold movement but shook that out of her mind, and looked deep into swirling pools of blue.

"Of course I still want to date you, Mal. I've never felt so connected, respected, and trusted in my entire life. You scare the hell out of me, and not because you can do magic, or change into whatever you want, but because I feel so at ease with you."

Maleficent could feel her heart grow fonder for the younger women with each passing minute, and she was glad that the feeling was reciprocated. She wanted nothing more than for Emma to feel valued and respected. She smiled and reached out to tuck a loose strand of the sheriff's hair behind her ear and ghosted her thumb across Emma's lower jaw.

"You are so special, Emma Swan. You deserve to feel all of those things, and so much more. You are worthy of happiness and security, and if I can play a part in helping you achieve those things then I am so happy and willing to do so."

Emma had never been good at emotions or confrontation. She was forever avoiding admitting her true feelings, and she would rather be seen dead than to own up to feeling some sort of romantic connection to somebody. As if her reaching out to caress Mal was not enough shock to herself, her next move neither of the women expected. Emma slowly tore her eyes from crystal blue as she moved her face closer to the shapeshifters, where their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss.

It was Mal that pulled away from the embrace first, and not because she wanted to. She was aware that they had both been sitting in the woods for several hours, and Emma's shivering meant that she had to get home, and to bed. Forest green eyes looked at her with a glint of horror, which panicked the usually composed woman.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep the mark..."

"You did not, Emma. I enjoyed it. It was a surprise, I have got to admit, but a very welcome one."

Emma smiled toothily at her shapeshifter, and just at that moment, a gust of wind ripped through the open space causing the sheriff to shiver. Mal stood up and offered her hand to help the younger woman up before smiling warmly at her.

"I think it is time that you got home. You must be freezing."

"I'm a bit chilly, not going to lie."

"Hold on to my hand, and do not let go."

The older woman's request fazed Emma but she did as she was told, and before she knew it they were both engulfed in Maleficent's green cloud of smoke before emerging right outside Emma's apartment. Emma grinned from ear to ear at how exciting travel-by-smoke really was.

"Thank you for coming to find me, Mal. I really appreciate it. I was thinking, how would you like to go on our date tomorrow night?"

"I would love to, Emma. I trust you will get in touch with me regarding the details?" Emma nodded. "I will always be here, if and when you need me."

The younger woman really could not believe at how hard and fast she was falling for Maleficent, but she really could not care. Things were finally starting to look up for her, and she would not change any of it for the world.

"Thank you. Goodnight, Mal."

"Goodnight, Emma. Sweet dreams, dear."

With a final soft kiss, the shapeshifter disappeared, and Emma entered her apartment to find Ruby, yet again sprawled out all over her sofa.


	7. Magical Details

**The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter**

 **Chapter Seven: Magical Details.**

Emma woke up the next morning feeling rather content. Her almost-date with Regina was nothing but an unpleasant memory, and the highlight of her evening with Maleficent began to take over her mind. The blonde finally managed to drag her ass out of bed, and got her self ready before going on her search for coffee. When she walked into the kitchen, she saw two Styrofoam cups of hot liquid, and a bag that no doubt had her fix of pastries in it. The blonde made her way over to the unit, picked up her cup, and took a long sip of the warm liquid, mewling in delight as it warmed her from the inside out.

"Good morning, Sheriff Swan."

The older of the two women closed her eyes. She could hear the grin in the brunette's voice, and she really did not want to delve into the details of last night so soon.

"Morning, Rubes."

"So, have you got anything to tell me?" Ruby sat grinning at the sheriff on the opposite side of the table. She reached out and took one of the pastries, and took a big, wolfish bite out of it.

"I don't think so." Emma risked looking up from her coffee cup, and saw big hazel eyes staring pointedly at her. "Rubes, I don't really want to talk about it..."

"Rubbish! You were out until three am, Emma. Something must have went well!"

Emma looked mortified. Ruby had heard her coming in? Was it really three am? It is no wonder that the blonde felt like she had not slept. The sheriff took another sip of her coffee. She knew that Ruby was not going to let things slide.

"Okay. Fine. I went to Regina's as planned, and I let myself in. I couldn't find her anywhere in the house, and when I was looking around for her I heard some talking behind a closed door. I knocked before walking in, and I saw a sight that I'm not going to ever unsee. Regina was there with some young, attractive brunette, who just so happened to be laying on her desk with madame mayor stood in between her legs, kissing her."

Ruby's eyes bulged out of her head as she listened to the story. She knew that Regina had a history with women, but she had no idea that she would be so Evil Queen like, especially when she knew that Emma was due to come around to her house for a pre-arranged date.

"So what did you do? What did she say?"

Emma scoffed. She still could not believe the way that Regina acted, and not to mention the way that she treated that poor woman after she was caught out.

"She apologized to me, saying how she didn't realise the time. What pissed me off more was the way she was so ready to just toss that girl she was with to the curb and not give her a second glance. She told her to leave as she had a 'prior engagement.'" The sheriff clicked her tongue in annoyance and gulped down the remainder of her coffee. "If she can treat somebody like they are nothing but a toy, then why should I bother? I'm not into people who use and abuse others just for kicks."

The brunette nodded with understanding. She was still in shock herself, but that did not explain why Emma was so late back home.

"So I guess the date didn't go ahead then?"

"Hell no. I explained to Regina that maybe it was best that we didn't start something that we couldn't finish. She just kept apologising to me, over, and over. It started to get on my nerves a bit. I guess she was just sorry that she got caught." Emma shrugged, and tossed her now empty cup into the trash before starting on another pastry.

"What happened then? I mean, how come you didn't roll in until the early hours?"

Emma rolled her eyes. There really was no getting away from this topic until she had relived every single detail from last night.

"I left Regina's. I was upset. If I'm being honest with you, I was hurt. All I saw when I walked in on them was Lily and James. It just brought it all back, y'know? I ended up going down to the Toll Bridge. I just needed to clear my head, and think about what it was that I really wanted." The blonde ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath. "I was out there all alone, ranting and raving to myself, vowing to stay away from women, and then I heard a chuckle. It was only fucking Maleficent. She just appeared out of nowhere!"

Ruby tried to downplay what the blonde has just said. She had no idea that Emma now knew some of Storybrooke's sole secrets. The thought of the sheriff ever finding those out worried her to no end.

"She must have been taking a walk through the woods and heard you shouting, or something. People can't just materialise out of thin air, Em..." The brunette did not like the way the blonde woman was now looking at her. Panic started to rise up within her, and she could feel her temperature begin to spike. She needed to calm down, and fast. "Why are you looking at me like that?!"

"Rubes, I know. I know that Maleficent is a shapeshifter, and that she can evaporate. I know that Regina is a powerful sorceress that brought you all here from The Enchanted Forest. And I know that everyone here has their own stories, waiting to be told to somebody who believes them. Mal told me everything last night."

Ruby stared wide-eyed in surprise and horror. She knew Mal really well but she did not think the older blonde would give away the secrets of the town, and where they had originated from. A few moments of silence passed until the brunette was finally able to speak.

"I did want to tell you, Em. It isn't like I enjoyed keeping all of this to myself, but if Regina found out that somebody had talked then we would all be in deep shit..."

"Well, now I know everything. The town is still standing, isn't it? I mean, I know she was some sort of sorceress back in The Enchanted Forest, but really? What could she do in a seaside town in Maine? There's no magic...here...oh shit." Realisation dawned on the sheriff at that precise moment.

Magic does in fact exist in Maine. How else could Maleficent shapeshift and evaporate? Forest green eyes sought out hazel, and Emma could feel her heart rate increase. The brunette finished the pastry she was eating, and tossed the empty bags into the trash.

"I think we need to go and do some damage control. When Regina finds out you know everything, and after the disaster of last night, she'll be looking for blood."

"We need to go around to Maleficent's. Regina knows that I've been dating her, and that I have plans to go on another date with her. If she does try something, no doubt it'll be aimed at her."

The brunette nodded. The two women climbed into Emma's trusty yellow bug and drove around to a very elegant looking house on the boarder of the town. The blonde cut the engine and looked up at the house in awe. Ruby tapped on her window and gestured for the older woman to hurry up. Emma suddenly remembered that she was not there to admire the architecture. They both made their way up the garden path and rang the doorbell. Within seconds the door to the grand house gently swung open, and a voice called out for them to enter.

Maleficent was sitting in the lounge in front of an open fire. The older blonde was enjoying a cup of tea whilst reading the morning paper when her two visitors appeared in the doorway. She neatly folded her paper, and looked up at the sheriff and Ruby with concern at their blatant look of sheer panic.

"Emma? Ruby? Is everything alright?"

It was Ruby who spoke first. The brunette needed to know that what Emma recalled from last night was in fact correct.

"Mal, did you really tell Emma _everything_ last night?"

Maleficent smiled warmly at the blonde. Even in the current state of panic the sheriff looked utterly memorising to her. In all honestly, she had missed Emma since leaving her at her door in the early hours of the morning.

"She deserves to know, Ruby. She already knew that something was not quite right here, anyway." Maleficent turned her attention from the brunette to the blonde and smiled warmly at her. "Besides, she is okay with it all, are you not?"

Emma appreciated Mal's honesty. She did not care if the woman that she was falling so hard and fast for turned into anything that she desired. The sheriff knew that she did not pose any threat to her, or to anyone in the town.

"I'm okay with it. Of course I am. I mean, I would by lying if I said that it isn't all a bit strange, and very... fairytale like, but I appreciate the honesty. I'm just worried that someone won't appreciate me knowing quite so much."

The older blonde's brow worried as she looked between Emma and Ruby.

"What do you mean, dear? Has something happened?"

The brunette cut in before the sheriff could answer. Ruby did have a better understanding of the town and the people, so Emma stayed quiet, and let her explain the current dilemma.

"Emma may understand and have no issues with knowing all about us, Mal, but I'm not so sure Regina will be quite so accepting when she finds out that an outsider knows all about us."

Maleficent realised why the two women were looking so worried. She did not think about the repercussions that could unfold around Emma knowing about the town. The shapeshifter also knew that no matter what, she would protect the blonde, and those dear to her should any threat arise.

"Has Regina said or done anything that would make you believe she was planning something?"

Ruby looked at Emma, and the blonde shook her head negative.

"No. I'm just not sure what she could do when she does find out though. I mean, it's only a matter of time before she finds out, and with what happened at her house last night I doubt that she'll be forgiving." Emma was nervous about what the sorceress could do, and her ability to do whatever she deemed fit.

"She will not harm you, Emma. I will not let her."

"So you think that we have a right to be freaking out about this whole thing then?"

"Emma, you have been living here for how long now?"

"Almost a year, why?"

"Right. So do you not think that it is about time that you know about the town, and the people that live here?"

"I mean, it does answer a lot of questions as to why people fear Regina so much, and not to mention the fact that everybody does the same damned thing every day. I can't begin to imagine what it must be like for people here, waking up every day but nothing ever changing. It also explains why nobody here has ever celebrated a birthday."

Ruby looked from Maleficent to Emma, and sighed heavily. She ran her fingers through her hair before sitting down heavily on one of Mal's armchairs.

"So what? We've just gotta watch our backs and let you know if and when we hear something?"

Maleficent smirked in amusement at Ruby.

"Oh come on, since when did you become a scared little kitten?" Maleficent bit her lip in an attempt to hold back her giggle.

"I am NOT a kitten! I am a W-"

Emma rolled her eyes as the two women looked in her direction. The sheriff remembered what Maleficent had said at the Toll Bridge the night before about Ruby not staying out past midnight on a full moon, and she gasped.

"You're a wolf!"

Ruby rolled her eyes at Maleficent, who was still trying to contain her laughter, before turning her attention to the younger blonde.

"Yes. I am Red Riding Hood. Only with a little twist. I'm the little girl, and the wolf."

Emma let the new information about her friend sink in for a moment or two before tilting her head to the side, and smirked.

"You lied to me, and the best part of it all is, I knew you were. I knew that you weren't on your period every full moon. You had to be somewhere safe for when you turned."

Ruby looked guilty at being caught out lying. She had not meant to deceive her best friend. It seemed like the better option at the time, and she was thankful that Emma understood.

"Yes. Well, I didn't really want to tear the people who I care about to shreds. I doubt you'd like me very much having to clean that mess up."

"Thanks for your consideration," Emma quipped before turning her attention back to Maleficent, who watched the two women banter with amusement. "Are we still on for our date later?"

That got the brunette's attention. The sheriff had not mentioned anything about another date with the shapeshifter, and Ruby began to bounce around the lounge in excitement. It had been her who got the two women together after all.

"I should totally become a matchmaker! I'm so happy that you two get along!" One look from the younger blonde made Ruby stop her bouncing, and she made her excuses to give the two women some alone time. "I'll be in the kitchen."

Maleficent rolled her eyes, and Emma grinned. Of course the brunette would be in the kitchen. Where else would she go? The older blonde stepped closer to the sheriff and lightly caressed her hand.

"Where are we going on this date, Emma?"

The younger woman realised she had not thought about the details. Money was of the essence to someone on her wage, but she still wanted it to be special. Suddenly, an idea came to her mind, and she grinned toothily at the older woman.

"All I'm telling you is to be ready for 6pm. I'll pick you up. Don't dress too fancy, and make sure you have something warm to wear."

The requests from Emma sparked curiosity from the older woman, but she nodded her agreement, and smiled.

"Your wish is my command, Emma. Are you sure you two are going to be okay?"

Maleficent's concern made the younger woman feel fuzzy and warm inside. She had forgotten what it was like to be cared about.

"Yeah, we will be fine. If there's any trouble, we will let you know. I'm just worried about what if Regina comes after you? What will she do to you?"

Emma's fingers entwined with Mal's as green eyes focused on sky blue. The younger blonde could see right into Mal's soul through the swirling pools, and it made her stomach fill rapidly with butterflies.

"You do not need to worry about me, sweet one. I will be perfectly fine. I can shapeshift, remember?"

Of course. How could the sheriff forget? Maleficent knew how to protect herself, but that did not stop the concern from building up deep inside her.

"Still, just be careful?"

Maleficent nodded softly, and Emma closed the gap between them. She pressed her body up against the older blonde's, and reached up to caress her cheek before capturing delicate lips in her own. The kiss was sensual, and slow which left Maleficent moaning sweetly into the sheriff's mouth. Emma was the first one to pull away, nipping Mal's bottom lip with her teeth teasingly.

"You are such a tease, Emma Swan."

The younger blonde walked to the doorway, and smiled over her shoulder.

"That was nothing, babe." The sheriff gave a rather flustered looking Maleficent a flirtatious wink before heading to the door to leave. "I'll be around at six to pick you up."

"I shall look forward to it, Emma."

The sheriff shouted to Ruby before leaving and going to the station. The town sure was not going to solve crimes itself.

Emma was thankful to get out of the station. The only thing that mattered was getting everything perfect for that night. On her way home, Emma stopped at the local grocery store and picked up a few things for her picnic. The sheriff was sure to not be too frugal, and splashed out on some of the finer foods and wine.

Shopping complete, Emma headed back to her apartment and started to prepare the feast for the date. The blonde had just finished packing the basket when a loud bang signaled the arrival of Ruby.

"I should start charging you rent. You're here more than you're at home," Emma sassed. She heard the snort of amusement from her friend.

"You love me too much to start charging me." The brunette looked at the basket in Emma's hand and raised her brow. "Are you going to the seaside?"

"Very funny. It's for my date with Maleficent. I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do right now. Money has been tight. Perhaps I should ask the mayor for a pay raise." Emma knew that the chances of getting a rise were very slim, especially after their disaster of a date.

"So where are you taking Mal on this picnic then? Anywhere romantic?"

Emma fidgeted. She was suddenly unsure about her choice of location. It seemed rather fitting to have a date at the place where she had opened up to Maleficent and shared their first kiss.

"I was thinking about the Toll Bridge. I know it's not romantic as such, but the place is rather significant for us both. It's where we both opened up to each other, and had our first kiss..."

Ruby's eyes widened at the sheriff's confession. The wolf could not believe what she was hearing, and that Emma had not mentioned it before.

"Wait a minute! You kissed?!" The excitement in Ruby's voice was apparent, and the blonde could not cope with another squealing episode from the brunette today.

"Yeah. I would tell you all about it, but I kinda have other plans right now." Emma glanced at the clock, and saw that it was almost ten to six. "I trust I'll come back to find you asleep on the couch again tonight?"

Ruby's grin answered the sheriff's question. Before the brunette could start another conversation, Emma grabbed her jacket and a blanket before saying goodbye and leaving the apartment.

At precisely six pm, Emma arrived at Maleficent's. The younger blonde knocked on her door before walking back to her bug and opened the passenger door for her to slide in. Once they were both inside the sheriff drove to the Toll Bridge and parked along side the spot where they had sat the night before.

"I see why you asked me to wear something comfortable and warm." Maleficent smiled as she climbed out of the car. "It is a pleasantly warm evening, for once."

Emma walked around to the boot of the car, and pulled out the picnic basket and some blankets before walking over to the exact spot where they had sat the night before. She laid some blankets down on the ground for them to sit on and took a seat next to Mal.

"I know it's not exactly the Oceanaire, but I hope you'll still enjoy it..." The sheriff started to feel a little foolish and uncomfortable. All sorts of thoughts and emotions started to rush through her mind. What if she had fucked up by bringing Maleficent on a picnic? What if she did not eat any of the food that she had prepared? What if Maleficent thought she was childish? All of those worries quickly vanished from her mind when the older woman tucked into a sandwich, and moaned. "Whoa. I didn't realise they tasted that good."

Maleficent could tell how nervous the younger woman was about the situation, and in all honesty, she found Emma's demeanour enlightening. She did not like seeing the sheriff in a state of panic, but it was quite cute watching her squirm with uncertainty.

"This is better than the Oceanaire, Emma. A picnic at the place where we first opened up to one another? Laid our emotions, and thoughts bare on the table, leaving ourselves exposed? This is more personal, and more romantic than any candlelit dinner. Thank you so much, dear."

To say that Emma was surprised at how well her plan had worked was an understatement. She was convinced that she made the first mistake in their relationship. The younger woman could feel a blush spread over her cheeks at Mal's words. It was true what she said. This was the spot that they truly became themselves to one another.

"I—I'm really glad you think so. I was so worried when I was telling Ruby before I came to pick you up. I nearly changed the plans and booked us a table somewhere."

"Well, I am relieved that you did not. I needed to get some fresh air, too," Mal joked before trying a piece of cake from the small spread. She could tell that a lot of time, thought, and effort had gone into Emma's plan, from the food, to the wine, and the presentation of the food.

"Yeah. It's about time that you got out of that lovely house of yours," Emma quipped, and dug into some food herself. She was surprised at how good it tasted, which had meant that spending a bit more money that she wanted to was not in vain.

By the time the two women had eaten to their stomach's content, the wind had picked up slightly, causing a drop in temperature. Emma wrapped a spare blanket around Mal before tucking into one herself in an attempt to fight off the chill. Maleficent's heart warmed at the gesture, even though she did not feel the cold as much. The older woman could tell that the blanket was not enough for the younger woman, and with a flick of the wrist a small collection of firewood appeared, which was also lit from another movement of the wrist. Emma looked in amazement, and grinned up at Maleficent.

"Is there anything that you can't do?"

The older woman thought long and hard about the question before giving a light shrug of the shoulders, and slipping an arm around Emma to share her body heat.

"I do not really know. Magic has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages."

Emma peeked up at the older woman with curiosity. She noted a hint of bitterness, and possibly even sadness in Mal's tone.

"What do ya mean, it's disadvantages?"

Maleficent sighed softly, and ran her fingers through Emma's hair, and rested her hand gently on the sheriff's cheek.

"There are people out there who use magic for evil. I used to, back in the Enchanted Forest, but ever since coming to Storybrooke, I wiped my slate clean and vowed to only use magic for good."

"People like Regina, you mean?"

"Regina, and a few others. I do not want you to worry though, Emma. I will not let anybody hurt you."

Emma smiled up at the shapeshifter and gave her a million watt smile.

"I know. I trust you."

Maleficent smiled at the statement the younger woman made. She could tell it was sincere from the way Emma's eyes shimmered in the firelight. Her eyes looked more enchanting than ever, and her hair rivaled even the goldest of stars. Maleficent felt an unfamiliar tug on her heart, and it was in that moment that she knew; she knew she was falling in love with Emma Swan.


	8. Enemies From The Past

**The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter**

 **Chapter Eight: Enemies From The Past**

On arriving home after their date, Maleficent could feel that something was not quite right. When she walked in, the fireplace came to life. It was only then that the blonde spotted her - Regina. The mayor sat in Mal's favourite chair, her posture and everything about her looked regal. Maleficent stood in the doorway with an unpleasant smirk.

"Regina, how lovely of you to drop by. I hope you have made yourself at home."

The brunette chuckled darkly as she made eye contact with her former friend. She scanned Maleficent from top to bottom, and she clicked her tongue in disgust at the smell of forest that radiated from her.

"I would have expected a lot more from you, Maleficent. There was a time when you would rather be seen dead than spend any amount of time in the woods, and now? Well, you certainly need to shower."

Maleficent rolled her eyes before taking a seat opposite Regina. She wanted nothing more than to get her out of her home, but she knew that was not going to be easy.

"Why are you even here, Regina?"

The mayor took a sip from the cider she poured herself and pulled a face of disgust at the offending liquid.

"I was minding my own business at home. It was about thirty minutes ago when there was a shift in the air. I trust you are familiar with the library clock tower." It was more of a statement than a question. Maleficent nodded once before the brunette continued. "When was the last time that clock actually functioned?"

"It never has done. You should really get onto that. You do not want the people of Storybrooke to vote you out at the next election."

Before Regina could come back with a response the sound of the clock chiming filtered through the open windows. The brunette's features twisted into unpleasant annoyance, whereas Maleficent looked surprised and shocked. Regina got up from her chair and began to pace across towards the blonde, who stood up in a defensive stance.

"You did this," Regina sneered at the blonde. Maleficent always had to go and mess things up for her. "Was this your plan all along?"

The blonde woman looked at the mayor like she had three heads. She could not help but smirk as the brunette began to feel threatened. Her perfect, frozen-in-time town was beginning to fall apart, but what the shapeshifter did not understand was how it is her fault.

"Do try and compose yourself, Regina. I have no idea what you are going on about. What did I do?" Maleficent could not help but take a step closer to the mayor and smirk. "All I have done is go on a date with Emma and come back home. I know you are jealous that things did not quite work out for the two of you, but you have only got yourself to blame for that one, dear."

Regina's lip turned upwards in a nasty grin. Maleficent had just confirmed what was on her mind. The brunette took a step closer to her enemy and lowered her tone.

"That is what I do not understand about this situation. How could Miss Swan be your true love when she agreed to go on a date with me?" The mayor noticed Maleficent's smirk falter slightly which spurred her to continue. "She was so heartbroken when she saw Belle and me. I think that she would have given me another chance if it was not for you constantly ruining my life." Regina's tone dripped with bitterness and resentment. She hated Maleficent for what she did all those years ago, and she hated her even more now that Storybrooke was no longer frozen.

"Nobody has ever said that Emma is my 'true love', Regina. She agreed to go on a date with you because she has had her eye on you ever since she came into town a whole year ago. All those pointless, petty arguments you two had? That was Emma getting frustrated at you for not being true to yourself. It is not my fault, nor Emma's, that you have realised your true identity a fraction too late. Emma is with me now. You have just got to learn to deal with that."

Maleficent let Regina's words sink in slowly. Her mind went back to a time when they were back in the Enchanted Forest, about to swap curses. A younger Regina had said to her the one thing that she swore she would always remember, and be careful about.

" _Remember, dear. All curses can be broken, some even by something as simple as True Love's Kiss."_

Chocolate brown eyes glistened with dark humour as she saw bright blue cloud over with memories of one of their past encounters. The mayor laughed which caused Maleficent to snap out of her flashback.

"Do you remember now, Mal? Do you remember what I told you about how all curses can be broken? Tell me, how was my curse on this town broken?"

The blonde woman did not want to admit anything to the brunette. It was not because she was ashamed of Emma; it was more to do with trying to protect the sheriff. There was no telling what the mayor would do once she found out just exactly how much Emma knew about their town.

"Emma is my true love." Maleficent pieced together everything. They had kissed before this evening, but that was before she fell in love with Emma. The blonde hesitated for a few moments longer as she realised that this could only mean one thing. Emma Swan was in love with her. "That is how your curse broke. It broke with something as simple as true love's kiss. I would have thought you would have been a bit more cleaver than this, Regina. You must be losing your touch."

"Oh, I am not losing anything, dear. You do know that love is weakness? Emma Swan will only bring nothing but heartache to your door. Are you sure you are ready for that?"

The shapeshifter shot a glare at the brunette. She went over everything that had just come to light once more, just to make sure that she did not miss anything crucial. It was not until then that she realised something, and it boiled her blood.

"You tried to play Emma. You pretended that you were interested in her. You lead her on knowing full well exactly how she felt about you. As soon as you heard the rumour about us going on a date you decided to come out of your shell and tell Emma exactly how you felt about her. Only it was all a lie. It was a lie to get her to not fall in love with me, because you knew that your curse would be broken." Maleficent pieced everything together in her mind, and she was truly horrified, and disgusted that even Regina would stoop as low to play with somebody's emotions. "Well, I am sorry to say, you did not succeed. When will you learn to just let people be happy?"

Regina growled at the blonde. She hated how she had to always rub everything in all the time. With a flick of the wrist Regina sent Maleficent flying backwards into the wall, and held her there with magic.

"You must really have a death sentence, my dear Maleficent. Who do you think you are talking to about letting people be happy? I had happiness once, and then you came along and destroyed it."

The blonde did not struggle against the vice like grip around her throat. She knew that by doing so she would only add fuel to Regina's attempt of power. The shapeshifter grinned as she remembered exactly why the two went from the best of friends to immortal enemies.

"Are you seriously still holding that against me? She was nothing, Regina. She thought very little of you." The grip tightened around her throat, and in an attempt to loosen it she threw her hand out, knocking Regina clean off of her feet. Maleficent knew that the best way to win this fight was to change.

Regina could feel her blood bubbling over the surface. She got back to her feet and conjured up a fireball, ready to incinerate the blonde, her anger only grew worse when she saw that she had vanished.

"I never had you down as a coward, Maleficent. You always were so adamant. You always wanted to be proven right, and win every fight. Come and face me, dragon." The brunette was on her guard. She had seen the damage that the blonde had created in past battles from her shapeshifting abilities. The mayor may have been a powerful sorceress, but she was human. There was no getting away from that fact. "In fact, I have just had an even better idea. I am not going to destroy your happiness the way that you have destroyed mine."

Maleficent materialised in human form right at that moment. She was still on guard but she wanted to be able to communicate with the mayor.

"So what exactly are you going to do? I know you Regina, you will never let something go without a price. So name it."

The Evil Queen glided right up into Maleficent's face with the best sly smirk she could muster. Her chocolate eyes glazed over as she thought about all the fun she was going to have by carrying out her threat. The brunette looked deep into Mal's soul, she dropped her voice an octave before speaking the price the shapeshifter is expected to pay.

"I am going to destroy Emma Swan."

"Over my dead body."

"As you wish, my dear Maleficent."

Maleficent was not going to give Regina the satisfaction of her shapeshifting. The blonde wanted to be in human form when she tore the mayor to shreds. Every move that Regina made was predictable which gave the blonde a strong advantage. The mayor threw countess fireballs that only got extinguished with jets of water. Clouds of dark purple smoke mixed with green filled the room as the two women battled. Regina could feel her energy rapidly fade, and with Maleficent showing no signs of slowing down she knew that she was not going to win this one.

The blonde smirked at seeing the brunette's weakness, and she held both of her hands out conjuring an immobilizing spell. The slightly darker green smoke rapidly made its way over to Regina, and wrapped around her, much to Maleficent's delight.

"You seem a little rusty. A few fireballs and you are magically drained? Tell me again, how do you plan on trying to destroy Emma if you cannot fight me for longer than five minutes?" The blonde loved seeing Regina at her mercy. She loved knowing just how weak the brunette really was in that moment. Maleficent did not get too cocky; she knew with every passing minute Regina would get stronger.

Regina glared and growled in defeat. It had been a while since she needed to fight anybody. The brunette sneered at her enemy when the green smoke finally lifted, giving her full function of her body again.

"This was just a little practice run for when I get my hands on Emma. She will not be able to hide behind magic. You might want to go and pay her a visit, say your goodbyes."

Maleficent ran across the room and reached out to grab the brunette by her throat. A cloud of purple smoke signaled that her visitor had in fact materialised to god knows where. The blonde knew that it was late but she had to make sure that Emma and Ruby were okay. She did not waste time with walking, and instead materialised straight in front of the two younger women, earning a shriek of surprise.

"Mal, what the fuck?! I hate you poofers. You think you can just come waltzing in with your smoke. It's a miracle that you're still alive," Ruby huffed. The brunette was jealous of Maleficent's travel by smoke and magical abilities.

Emma rolled her eyes at how dramatic her friend was being. The sheriff smiled toothily at the older blonde.

"Do you miss me already? I was just about to put the kettle on. Would you like one?" Emma made her way into the kitchen area and prepared three drinks before giving them out and taking a seat next to Ruby on the couch. "Is everything okay?"

The older woman took a grateful sip of the hot liquid and gave a light shake of the head.

"I had a visitor waiting for me when I got home. It was Regina. She knows a few things."

Both Emma and Ruby exchanged looks of doom. They had no idea what to do or where to turn. The brunette looked back at Maleficent and demanded answers.

"What do you mean? What does she know? Does she know about Emma knowing?"

"I think we have a slightly bigger problem than that right now, Ruby." Maleficent took another sip of the coffee, and risked a glance up at Emma who looked confused at the intensity of the whole situation.

"What the hell is going on here? What could possibly be worse than Regina knowing I know about your little town?"

Maleficent sighed softly. She did not want to alarm Emma, but she was not about to sit back and keep this from her. She had a right to know.

"Regina has made a threat. She has vowed to destroy you. She knows just how much I think about you, and she is using that as ammunition against me. This is not because of what happened with her at her house. It is purely to get revenge on me for something that I did many years ago."

The sheriff was stunned into silence as she tried to wrap her head around Regina's logic. Ruby, on the other hand, was riled.

"Please tell me she is still not using Ella against you? She was old enough to make her own decisions. If Regina treated her better then maybe she would not have felt the need to run away with you!"

"You know Regina well enough by now to understand that she does not forget easily. She blames me for taking Ella away from her. I can handle that, but what I cannot handle is having threats made against Emma." Maleficent turned her attention to the younger blonde and sighed softly. "I promise you that no harm will ever come to you. I am going to do everything in my power to protect you."

The younger blonde was still confused at the situation. She understood the threat Regina had made, but what she did not understand was why. She took a sip of her coffee before clearing her throat.

"There has got to be more to this story, Mal. I know there is more, so what is it?"

The shapeshifter swapped looks with Ruby before biting the bullet and revealing all to the sheriff.

"You know that Storybrooke has been frozen in time? You picked up on that long before you knew the true origin of the people here." Emma nodded, so she continued. "When Regina brought us all here it was done on purpose, although maybe a small accident happened in there somewhere. She wanted us all to suffer, to not be able to move on with our lives. She was hurting, so we all had to hurt with her." Maleficent took another sip of her now cool liquid before continuing. "Regina was not very clever with the curse. She was one of the most powerful sorceresses in the Enchanted Forest, but this curse could be broken by... true loves kiss."

Ruby gasped out loud. The wolf could not believe what she was hearing. She looked between Maleficent and Emma, the penny finally dropping.

"Oh. My. God."

Emma was still playing catch up in her mind. She did not see the connection or why Maleficent was telling her all of this.

"I'm still not following. Time hasn't changed here. You've just got to look at that bloody clock above the library..." As if on cue the chiming of the clock tower rang through the coastal town air. The distinctive chiming filtered through the open windows causing both Emma and Ruby to freeze. "...Well, shit. Okay, so what you're telling me is time is no longer frozen because of two people kissing, which Regina is pissed about so she's coming after me because it will fuck with your happiness?"

Ruby could not bare Emma's stupidity any longer, she jumped up and looked at the sheriff.

"Fuck's sake Emma...! It's you and Maleficent! You two broke the curse, and that's why Regina is coming after you! Because she knows that you are Maleficent's true love. Jesus!"

Emma flinched at Ruby's excitement and frustration. When her mind finally caught up and processed the information, she looked up at the blonde. An array of emotions, thoughts, and feelings shot through her mind.

"Is that...true? We are...?"

Maleficent nodded. She had no idea how Emma would take the news, she knew it was a major shift in their relationship. The shapeshifter also knew the truth about the magic of true love. It had to be felt by both parties.

"Yes. I know that may have come as a shock to you, but the thing that you need to know above all else is, I mean it."

The younger blonde was thankful that Maleficent did not say the L word. Not because she did not want her to, but more because she was not sure she was quite ready to hear it out loud. The sheriff did not have the first clue that the feelings she had been experiencing ever since meeting the blonde meant that she was falling in love with her. Maybe it was because she had never been in love before, or maybe it was because this was a completely different kind of love. One she did not know even existed.


	9. Suprises

**The Sheriff and The Shapeshifter**

 **Chapter Nine: Surprises.**

Loud, persistent banging from the kitchen woke the sheriff up from her slumber. She groaned and glanced at her clock that displayed it was only ten am. Emma threw back her covers and stormed out of her room, not giving two shits that she was only in her underwear. When the blonde got to the kitchen she witnessed Ruby baking a cake and making a world of mess.

"Ruby. What the fuck are you playing at?!" Emma was pissed. She had not had a lay in for such a long time and it was starting to take its toll. The brunette winced at the tone of her friend's voice and gestured towards the cake.

"I'm making a cake. You need to get ready, we've got so much to do, and so little time to do it in!" the younger woman went back to reading the recipe book. Emma was perplexed with the whole situation. Maybe it was her lack of sleep catching up with her, or maybe something big was happening today and she had forgotten.

"I can see that. But why?" the blonde took a seat at the breakfast bar. The coolness of the stool made her squirm uncomfortably. Ruby gasped and her eyes grew wide in horror.

"It's Maleficent's birthday! And there's going to be a party here for her. I hope you don't mind." the wolf smiled sheepishly. She had not got Emma's permission beforehand, but seeing as it was Maleficent she really did not think that the sheriff would mind. The new information about the day caused Emma to wake up as she stared back at Ruby.

"Her birthday?! But nobody has celebrated one since I got here...wait. You have organised a party. Here?" Anxiety began to build in the sheriff's throat. She could feel her heart rate increase, and her palms began to sweat. That is all she needed, a party being held in her already cramped apartment. Ruby ceased her cake-baking attempt and sat opposite Emma.

"Nobody has celebrated a birthday since you got here because time was frozen. Until recently, remember?" She pushed a newly brewed mug of coffee towards the blonde, who hummed with approval and took a tentative sip. "I haven't invited a lot of people. Just the ones who are close to the three of us. I know I should have asked your permission first. I'm sorry."

Emma sighed softly. Of course no one has aged. She should know that considering she played a part in the unfreezing of time in town. She took another sip of coffee, grateful for the buzz the caffeine provided her. She was not entirely comfortable with people being invited into her home, but at least she knew the brunette had not gone overboard with the invitation.

"Okay. Tell me exactly who you've invited. Anyone I should hide what little valuables I have?" Emma smirked as the brunette raised a brow. She did not have anything of any value, and Ruby knew that. The sheriff hardly had any possessions at all. It was far easier that way if she decided to up and move elsewhere, which she did a lot in the past.

"Okay. So, we have Maleficent, obviously. Then we have Billy, Granny, Snow and David, Kathryn, Ashley, Mulan and Aurora. So, not that many people." The brunette took a sip of her coffee, awaiting Emma's approval, or not. When the blonde nodded she shot off her chair and rushed back over to the cake preparation.

"I guess that's not too bad. Even though I haven't had much dealings with all of them, I'm trusting you on this one, Rubes." Emma was not one hundred percent convinced that everything would run smoothly, but the fact that she had not had any dealings with them whilst working as the Sheriff put her mind at ease to a certain degree. She finished her coffee before getting up from her stool. "I'm going to go and shower. Try not to burn my apartment down." And with that, the blonde made haste to the bathroom.

When Emma emerged from the shower, she realised that maybe she should wear something a bit more substantial than her signature white tank top and skinny jeans. She routed through her closest and found a black pair of skinny jeans and a dressy shirt. She sat on her bed and thought about how her and Maleficent's relationship had progressed. It terrified her to the core, but nothing had felt more right in her life. The two women had been dating for a month, and Emma wondered about taking their relationship to the next level. Panic began to rise the more she thought about it, so instead, she went back to her closet and picked out some of her best lingerie, a red satin and lace set, before carefully putting it on, followed by her skinny jeans and shirt. The blonde sat at her vanity and sorted her wild mane of golden hair, completing the look with minimal make up. She took another glance in the mirror before deciding that was the best it was going to get, and headed back out to Ruby.

The smell of freshly baked cakes made the sheriff's mouth water. She was surprised to see that they had turned out really well, and not singed like she expected. Emma noticed a cardboard box sat on the breakfast bar and her curiosity got the better of her.

"They smell and look amazing, Rubes. What's in the box?"

Ruby beamed from ear to ear at the compliment on her cakes. She had worked damned hard to make sure that they turned out perfect. She was still faced with the challenge of decorating them and she knew that took a lot of patience, and a steady hand. And they just so happened to be two skills she was lacking in.

"Thanks! I wasn't sure that they'd turn out okay. You saw the mess earlier." Ruby shared a smirk with the blonde before skipping over to the box. "Decorations, of course! We need to make the place look more...festive."

"Festive? This isn't a Christmas party, Ruby," Emma quipped as she sorted through the decorations. She was surprised to see that they were not as tacky as she feared. "I suppose it wouldn't do much harm to put a few banners up. What time is everyone even coming?"

Ruby tried to figure out how she was going to decorate the cakes, but in all honesty, she really was way out of her comfort zone. She had never baked a cake in her life, let alone made them look presentable. The brunette glanced up to see Emma gingerly shifting through the box and knew what she had to do.

"They're not coming until about five. Which gives us plenty of time to get this place ready, and for one of us to go to the liquor store. Granny is sorting the food. I've had to pull extra shifts to cover the cost of them though." Ruby winced at remembering the deal she had made with the older woman. She did not mind, not when it was all in aid to make sure Mal had a party. Emma just rolled her eyes and looked at the clock. It was now one pm and her stomach rumbled.

"I think we should grab something to eat before we do anything else. We will be rubbish hosts if we are passed out due to low blood sugar." The blonde automatically held her stomach as it made another grumble of protest, much to the brunette's amusement. Damn wolf hearing.

"You and that stomach. It's never satisfied." Ruby quipped, which earned a cocky raised brow from her older friend.

"You can talk! You're never fucking not eating. I have no idea how you are so slim." Emma stuck her tongue out, and quickly dashed out of the apartment, closely followed by the brunette.

"It's all the running that I do during full moon," Ruby sassed. Emma rolled her eyes, knowing full well that the other woman could not see her, and they made their way to Granny's.

Hamburger, fries, and a chocolate shake later, the pair's hunger was satisfied. Emma made her way over to the counter to settle the check with Granny, which gave her time to check how the preparations were coming along for the party. The elder woman looked exhausted, but she never stopped smiling when she filled the blonde in about how much food they had ready. The sheriff smiled and gave her thanks to the elder woman before making haste with her friend. Next stop, the liquor store.

The two women began their search with wine. Both Emma and Ruby knew that Maleficent enjoyed a nice glass of white on occasion. After picking up and reading six bottles of Italian white, Emma groaned.

"God dammit. I knew I should've asked her what her favourite wine was. Who knew there are so many types?!" The sheriff picked up another bottle and raised her brow. "A refreshing, crisp taste. Filled with fruity aromas from elderflower to peach... what a load of shite."

Ruby snickered from across the aisle. She was on the mission for the red wine. Grabbing three bottles, she placed them in the basket and looked over Emma's shoulder at the white she was currently holding.

"As long as it's not dry. Mal really hates dry white wine. I remember when we went out once for a meal she asked the waiter if he could put some lemonade in it to sweeten it up."

This new information caused both women to laugh. Emma scanned the bottle once again before placing it in the basket alongside the red.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. I'm just so out of my element here. Normally I just grab the cheapest bottle and to Hell with what it tastes like." The sheriff gave a light shrug of the shoulders before moving onto the next aisle, lager, beer, and cider. The blonde placed some cans of Strongbow and Fosters in the basket whilst Ruby grabbed a few crates of Heineken. The two women breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the spirits aisle. Finally, they were both on familiar territory, and after a couple of more minutes they both walked out of the store feeling accomplished. "I'm pretty sure we have enough alcohol here for tonight and the next party."

Ruby laughed at her friend's remark. She set her bags down next to Emma's feet when they reach the local convenience store and flashed a toothy grin at the blonde. "You'd be surprised at how much we will all drink tonight. I'll be right back. It's best to be prepared in case that wine isn't as nice as we both assumed." And with that the brunette disappeared inside.

Five minutes had passed when the younger woman returned armed with cola, lemonade, milk, and bags of ice. Emma picked up the bags of alcohol and they returned to her apartment. The sheriff groaned with relief at finally settling the bags of liquor down and rubbed her arms that began to ache.

"I am never going to the store with you again. My arms will have stretched by the morning."

Ruby rolled her eyes at the blonde's dramatics. She began to unpack the bags whilst Emma saw to the ice. She had just finished putting the last bag in the freezer when there was a knock on her door. The sheriff wiped the beads of sweat off of her brow and went to greet whoever was on the opposite side. She was surprised to see Granny armed with trays of food, and a string of helpers. Emma opened the door to let them all in and began to help the elder woman set up the food around the room.

Half an hour later the room was completely set up with food, drinks, and decorations. Emma was thankful that Ruby had put them up in a tasteful manner. The sheriff smiled and sighed with relief. This certainly had been an eventful day so far, and she knew that maybe there was a lot more to come. She made her way over to Granny and handed her a glass of water.

"Granny, I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done for today. I really appreciate it."

The older woman smiled softly, taking the glass from the blonde gratefully. "You don't need to thank me, sweetie. It was a pleasure doing this for Mal. Ruby is covering a few shifts which will give me a break, so who am I to complain? We're all winners!" Granny grinned as Emma shook her head. The younger woman glanced at the clock and saw that it was time to go and pick Maleficent up.

"Rubes? I'm off now. I won't be too long. Try not to eat all the food before the guests arrive." At that moment, the buzzer sounded, signalling the arrival of some of the guests. Emma buzzed them in and turned back to the brunette. "Snow and David are here. I'll be ten minutes tops." The blonde slipped out of the apartment and made her way down to her bug, greeting Snow and David in passing.

When Emma arrived outside Maleficent's house, she started to feel the anxiety build up deep within her once again. She wanted everything to be perfect, but she could not help but wonder whether Mal liked parties or not. The blonde decided after sitting in her car for five minutes that enough was enough, and so she made her way up the garden path. The door opened gracefully before the sheriff could even knock. She made her way inside and gently pushed the door closed behind her.

"Mal? It's Emma."

In a cloud of green smoke, the shapeshifter appeared and grinned widely at the blonde. She had missed Emma more than she was willing to admit in fear of scaring her away.

"I know it's you. I can hear your car coming from three blocks away." Maleficent smirked. She knew that insulting Emma's pride and joy was a sure fire way of earning a glare from the blonde, and she loved nothing more than winding Emma up.

"Oh ha-ha. You're lucky that I'm in such a good mood today. I'm going to let your comment about my baby slip. I just came by to see if you fancied coming over? We could watch a movie, order a pizza?" Emma entwined her fingers with the older woman's. She loved having physical contact with her; it made her feel safe, loved, and protected.

"Date night at your place? That sounds much more appealing than sitting in alone on my birthday." Mal smiled and grabbed her bag and jacket. Emma watched the older blonde moving gracefully around her kitchen. To be more accurate, Emma watched Mal's hips sway. The sheriff's mouth rapidly dried when the shapeshifter bent over to dig out her shoes from the shoe rack. Maleficent could feel eyes on her, and she could not help but giggle softly. "Shall we, Sheriff Swan?"

Emma rapidly blinked and swallowed thickly in an attempt to break free from her daze. She nodded softly and walked out of the house and back to her bug. The drive back to Emma's apartment took all of five minutes. The two women got out of the car, and before Emma could step up onto the curb Maleficent had grabbed hold of her, and gently pushed her onto the side of yellow beetle. The sheriff grunted softly on impact, but before she could say anything, Maleficent leaned in and claimed her lips with her own. The older blonde's tongue caressed Emma's, seeking permission for entry, which the sheriff happily gave.

In the apartment Ruby heard the tell-tale sign of Emma arriving outside and had got everyone to hide, ready for the surprise element of the party. The brunette was growing impatient. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Billy was hiding in a rather tight space with Kathryn, or maybe it was because she could not wait to see her friend's face. Ruby decided enough was enough and she swung open Emma's window, catching the two kissing.

"It's a good job you're the sheriff! Nobody can report you for public affection overload! Get your arses up here! There's plenty of food to eat!"

Emma turned a lovely shade of crimson. And not because she was caught kissing Mal by Ruby, but more because eating food was the last thing on her mind after such an earth-shattering kiss. Maleficent's chuckle stole the sheriff's heart.

"You never told me that Ruby would be joining us. I suppose we better go and make ourselves known to her."

Emma blushed even more. She could feel her heart rate increase with nerves and anticipation. She captured delicate lips in a tender, loving kiss before nodding in agreement. The sheriff would hate to keep everyone waiting any longer than they had to be. The two women made their way up to Emma's apartment. The younger woman gestured for Mal to go inside first, before following and shutting the door.

Ruby grinned at the couple and flicked on the light as the signal for Billy, Granny, Snow, David, Aurora, Mulan and Kathryn to jump out of their hiding places and a collective cheer of "surprise!" echoed around the room. Maleficent was at a loss for words. Emma and Ruby high fived each other and grinned, knowing that all the hard work of that morning was totally worth every bead of sweat.

For once, Emma did not mind the loud music and chatter filling her apartment. She respected her neighbours every other time, but this was a one-off. She admired Mal from afar as she talked with Mulan and Aurora, and she could not help but go weak at the knees every time the shapeshifter smiled or laughed. The sheriff made her rounds, making sure everybody had something to drink, saving her...what was Maleficent? Her girlfriend? Her date? That was something the young blonde would have to figure out, until last. She greeted Mal with a loving smile, and handed her a fresh glass of white wine; thankful that she liked it.

"Sorry I lied. I hope you're not too mad at me." Emma smiled sheepishly. Although she would not mind the older blonde being mad at her, just as long as she did not transform into a dragon.

"How could I ever be mad at you, Emma? You did all of this for me? I thought that people would have forgotten about birthdays, let alone when mine was. Thank you, so much." Maleficent softly caressed the younger blonde's cheek and placed a sweet kiss upon soft, rose lips, causing the sheriff to blush.

"Really you've got Ruby to thank. She was the one who woke me at ten am this morning banging around in the kitchen. I had no idea..." Before Emma had chance to finish her sentence the lights turned out and everyone gathered around the couple as Ruby brought out the cake she slaved over that morning, and everyone broke out into a round of 'Happy Birthday'. The sheriff took a small step to the side to be away from the focus of attention; this was not about her, it was about Maleficent. The shapeshifter paused before blowing out her candles and watched as Ruby took the cake away to be cut into portions. Emma sunk her teeth into her lower lip as she moved back next to the older blonde, dropping her voice so only she could hear. "What did you wish for?"

It was the older woman's turn to blush. She had thought about trying to explain the pause away by saying she had to embrace this world's traditions, but she did make a wish. One that she hoped would come true. "That would be telling, Emma. And if you tell your wish then it may not come true."

Emma pressed her body against the taller woman's, inhaling sharply at the contact that she had longed for all evening. "That's true but...how can I help make your wish reality if I don't know what it is?"

Maleficent looked deep into forest green orbs as she wrapped her arms around a toned waist, pulling the younger woman flush against her own body. Her tongue slipped through slightly parted lips to moisten them before they started their path from one corner of Emma's mouth to the other. The sheriff moaned softly at Maleficent's antics, and when the older woman started placing hot, open mouthed kisses from her shoulders up to her ear, she had to reach behind her for some support. Mal chuckled lightly at how responsive the sheriff was. "Oh, my dear, I'm sure you know wishes happen if and when they are meant to."

The sheriff rose a brow but decided to let it slide for now. Her whole body hummed with need and desire. Not just sexually, but physically, too. She needed to feel Maleficent's embrace and the comfort that came with it. Emma smiled up at the older woman and kissed her softly. "Would you like to stay over tonight?" She searched crystal blue to check for any signs of reluctance, or fear from her proposal, but when they shone with happiness and love she could relax again.

"I would love to. I have one request though." Emma's smile faltered slightly. She began to panic internally which the older woman picked up on rather quickly. She took hold of the younger woman's hand and grinned mischievously, all the while leading her to a more spacious area. "Dance with me?"

In that moment, it felt like no one else existed. Emma wrapped her arms around the blonde, and soon they both found a gentle swaying rhythm. They stayed together in their bubble of affection and love until the music's volume was turned down. The sheriff looked over Maleficent's shoulder and saw Snow and David standing there, not quite sure whether to interrupt or not. She stopped dancing and smiled as Maleficent turned around to face the couple.

"We're sorry to disturb you both, but we are going to go home now. Thank you for a lovely evening." The pixie haired woman seemed embarrassed and ashamed for ruining an intimate moment between the two blondes, but Maleficent gave her a warm smile.

"You are very welcome, Snow. Thank you for coming. Emma has hidden the caramel slices you baked so Ruby does not eat them all herself."

"Yeah. They're in my secret compartment. Her wolf nose might be able to sniff them out, but so far, so good."

They all shared a laugh and the two blondes walked them to the door, each giving the couple a hug and more thank yous for attending. Emma noticed it was now getting pretty late, and so did the rest of the guests. Aurora, Mulan, Kathryn, and Billy all left at the same time leaving Granny and Ruby. Emma turned off the stereo and kicked off her heels, groaning as the coolness of the laminate floor soothed her aching soles. Granny began to pack away the untouched food with the help of Ruby, and Emma grabbed a bin bag to clear away the empty bottles and rubbish.

"I have no idea how I'm going to get all this back to the café." Granny gestured to all the Tupperware boxes. It was okay bringing it all to the apartment, because she had helpers, but she did not give much thought into taking it all back home. Maleficent smiled, knowing just the thing. With a wave of her hand the boxes started to levitate around Granny, who now looked uncertain.

"Do not worry, they will follow you home. Once you get inside the diner they will go to their rightful place and stop levitating. I have done this spell loads of times myself." Mal gave Granny's arm a reassuring squeeze. The elder woman smiled gratefully and gave the two blondes a hug before bidding goodnight and leaving the apartment with Ruby.

Emma closed the door and locked it behind them, thankful that they were all gone and that the apartment was easy to clean up. She would sort the decorations out tomorrow. Right now, all she wanted to do is to go to bed and curl up in Maleficent's arms. The younger woman led the way to her bedroom. She grabbed the towel that was on the floor from her shower earlier that morning and put it in the hamper.

"You really do surprise me, Sheriff Swan." Maleficent wandered around the room looking at the trinkets, photos and teddies that Emma had on display. "I really thought you would have been one of these people to have the messiest rooms ever." She chuckled, earning an eye roll from the younger woman.

"Yeah, well. Sorry to disappoint." Emma grinned as she took out a new toothbrush from her bedside drawer and handed it to her. "I may not have much stuff, but I keep stuff in strange places. The bathroom is next door. I haven't quite achieved my dream of having an en-suite just yet," Emma joked.

"It is not what it is cracked up to be. It is only good when you are dying for a wee, or you have drank too much." Maleficent smirked.

Emma disappeared to the bathroom to clean her teeth, returning back to the bedroom moments later. Whilst Maleficent was doing her night-time routine, the younger woman stripped down to her underwear. She worried her lip and debated throwing on a tank top and some shorts, but she ran out of time to decide as Mal appeared back inside the room. Emma blushed as the older woman stared at the sight of her in red satin and lace.

"I was just...uhh..." The more Maleficent stared, the more Emma felt embarrassed. "Just getting changed..."

"You are absolutely mesmerising, Emma." The words that fell from now nude lips came out as a breathless whisper. She slowly made her way over to Emma, discarding her clothes along the way. The sheriff was turned on at the sight of Maleficent standing before her in dark purple underwear, and as much as she wanted to ravish the older blonde, she got under the covers and tapped the space next to her. Maleficent climbed in and wrapped her arms protectively around Emma. She could tell that the younger woman was sleepy, and she was too.

"Mal, I have something I need to tell you. You need to bear with me though because, well, you know that I find it hard to talk about things, and I generally stumble over my words..." The shapeshifter loved it when the sheriff rambled. It was one of her favourite things about the younger woman, because she too could be more relaxed and stumble over her own words rather than coming off as some well-rehearsed businesswoman. "But the truth is, I am in love with you. I think I have been since I first laid my eyes on you. Our first date was so surreal, the way that I could talk to you so openly and not feel judged or ashamed? That really was amazing, but the crazy part is, it all felt so natural. Like I'd known you for years. I'm lost when I'm not with you, and I instantly feel better when you're around. I feel connected with the world, and with myself. I've never known what I've wanted in life but now? Now I do. I want you. I want to share my life with you and explore new things together. I want to create new memories with you...I want you to be my girlfriend."

Maleficent could not stop smiling in that moment. Her heart swelled and tears of happiness filled her eyes. She was so glad that the feelings of love were not one sided. Her lips sought out Emma's and the love from the very depths of her soul flooded out in the most sensual, romantic kiss both women had ever experienced. "Oh Emma. You have no idea how long I have wanted to say the same thing. I did not want to express how I felt in case it was too much too soon. I feared that I would push you away. I am in love with you, too." Emma's heart rate increased. She was nervous but so happy at the same time. She was starting to feel overwhelmed with emotion, and the longer Maleficent did not respond to her last want, the more anxious she got. The older woman picked up on her anxiety, and she smiled. "I wished for us to be together." Emma made eye contact with her and grinned toothily.

"You wished for this to happen?"

"I did. And what I said about wishes only coming true if they are meant to? This just proves exactly that. I would love nothing more than to be your girlfriend, Emma Swan."

Emma really could not believe her luck. Finally things were starting to look up for the young sheriff, and nothing was going to get in the way of her happiness this time around.


End file.
